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Free PublicationMarch 2010 Vol. 3, Issue 3, Publications Mail Agreement 41188516, ISSN # 1710-4750

A WOMAN OF DISTINCTION

NORTH of 50 March 20102 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

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NORTH of 50 March 2010 3Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Jo Berry: A Woman of Distinction by Sherry Bennett

Imagine if you can, that you have reached a point in your life where you do not have to accomplish,

acquire or earn anything to experience inner peace. Through a 20-year journey of movement—in body, mind and spirit—Jo Berry has reached a point where she is living a love-based life without pretence. “At 45, I feel healthier than I did when I was 25,” says Jo, founder of the Runclub and co-founder of Boogie the Bridge. “I believe it is because of the inner work I’ve done—the constant development, the development of my ego-less self.” Before enrolling in the University College of the Cariboo’s social work program in the mid-90s, Jo earned her living in the cycling business and as a fitness instructor. With a belief system out of sync with the fitness industry’s focus centred on physicality, the 30-year Kamloops resident left the industry after three years. “Physical movement represents only 10 per cent of health,” says Jo. “Health is so much more than physicality and being ‘athletic.’ Health manifests itself in body, mind and spirit; constant movement, in the physical sense and the spiritual sense.” Born in Edmonton with what she calls “too much energy,” hours spent outside the classroom during Jo’s youth were spent tap dancing and figure skating. Sitting was something reserved for the back of a horse or a bicycle seat. Active her entire life, Jo says ‘athletic’ has never been the best word to describe her. “I’ve always had lots of energy, but for me it’s always been about being active rather than competition or winning. I’m the kind of person who prefers to chit-chat and take photos when I walk or run. I like to stop and visit with people. I don’t care about my time or my heart rate as much as I do about the fun experience I’m having.” Espoused with a genuine concern for other people’s well-being since a young child growing up in Victoria, Jo’s gravitation towards the social work profession was a natural one.

In 1997, two years into her social work studies, Jo lost her mother, a major crisis she confesses hit her hard and left her staring into the eyes of depression. But with her personal tragedy came a major period of spiritual growth and awakening to the concept of self and the rewards of a love-based form of living. Born during this highly transformational period of Jo’s life, through her personal explorations into all facets of movement, were two now renowned local health initiatives—Daily News Boogie the Bridge and Runclub In 1998, as part of a UCC-based project to promote healthy living and incorporate the ideas of feminism, play and movement, Jo co-founded Boogie the Bridge, a 5K and 10K run walk or stroll, recruiting five dozen women; a cooperative health movement that has now exploded into a large scale community-based health event attracting thousands. A year later, at the tail end of her degree, and as a further exploration of movement, fun and cooperation as healing tools, Jo developed and launched her home-based Runclub. With ‘Movement as Change’ as the mantra and a ‘no one gets left behind’ attitude at its core, a single group of 16 women in 1999 has blossomed into a ‘movement’ movement where thousands of men, women and children representing every shape, size and ability demographic meet on city roads and trails to blast comfort zones and experience running as a fun and cooperative team sport. “Life is supposed to be fun. “People don’t play as much anymore. People get programmed into school and jobs. Movement likens playtime. It’s not hard work. There’s a pace for everybody. There’s a comfort level for everyone. It’s a form of play where you just happen to get healthy along the way.” While perhaps not in the traditional sense, Jo, with husband Adrian, is practising social work with a playful twist, helping countless people change their lives for the better—social work outside of the box. “It’s not counselling per say, but we are applying the same principles and core values—the promotion of health.” Her genuine passion for the well-being of the people of the city has earned her the Grace Chronister TRU Bachelor of Social Work Alumni award, the 2004 Woman of Distinction for Community Contribution award and the BC Community Achievement award. “Things have changed so much over the past few years. Many people have lost control of their own health and the human connection—meeting people, connecting with other people’s energy, connecting with the community. “There are so many simple things people can do to regain their health. People have the power to change their lives. If things aren’t working out, there are things that can be done to change it. “Change is so hard, but it’s so worth it. It is like peeling the layers off of an onion. It’s about realizing, learning, and making something different. “It’s your health. You do have control over it. Don’t think you can’t change it. You can and it feels great.” Through movement Jo has changed her life, from the inside out. She’s found the peace to know she is in the right place, at the right time, doing the right things. Flying in the face of the ‘no pain, no gain’ doctrine, when Jo turned 40 she told herself she better be having fun with what she was doing, every day.

As a full-time coach and mother of twin 14-year-old girls, Jo’s days are filled. “It’s work. I work hard. But because I get so much out of it and am truly passionate about what I do, it really doesn’t feel like work.” “I’m sure there are some people out there who think I’m a couple of marbles short,” jokes Jo, with a wide grin framed by a baseball cap and ponytails. “Sometimes people question my love-based approach, but it’s just something I need to share.” “I’m living a simple life now. It’s not about pushing my boundaries to acquire things anymore. For me it’s about having more time and more energy. “I don’t need a bigger, better house or a new car. I believe that when you live simple you live more. “I’ve got a job I love. I have a family who loves me. I have my health. I have my time. These things are my currency. “Life truly is such a gift. We need to live.”

WORDS AND AWARDS FOR JO BERRY

2009 Jo Berry Thompson Life In motion Thompson Nicola`s top 50 most influential people

2009 Jo Berry on CFJC midweek show

2008 Jo Berry and Runclub show cased in ``An af-ternoon with Deepak Chopra``magazine

2008 Jo Berry receives Thompson Rivers University Distinguished Alumni Grace Chronister Award for bringing honour to the Social Work program by her community health and wellness iniative and raising over quarter million dollars and moving thousands of people to a healthier life.

2008 Jo and Runclub recognized by the BC govern-ment for community contribution and has received the BC Community Achievement Award

2004 Jo Berry. Woman of Distinction

"Jo Berry...Learning to love, accept and appreci-ate yourself for all you can do is a mantra Jo Berry has personally embraced while inspiring thousands of her fellow citizens. Her energy, enthusiasm, and support has made runners out of people who would never have dreamed it possible. Through her Run-Club business, Jo Berry created a charitable fun run in Kamloops. Now in its tenth year, the run attracts 2500 participants and raises money for community programs thanks to the driving force of its founder. Through Jo Berry's example that... movement is change....`` BC Liberal Government

Co-founding the event, Jo Berry has been involved with Boo-gie the Bridge for over a decade. The 2010 Boogie is slated for May 2. Funds raised at this year’s event will be donated to the ASK Wellness Centre. For more information on the Boo-gie, visit http://www.dailynewsboogie.ca/. Photo submuitted.

Jo Berry runs with the Olympic torch through Valleyview on January 27. Nominated by Terry Lake, Jo says her torch bearing experience was a humbling experience that hit her hard. It was while running with torch in hand, with her twin daughters, husband and friends running alongside, that Jo felt an overwhelming sense of community and a feeling of “this really is what it’s all about.”

NORTH of 50 March 20104 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

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Hospital OlympicsOn Sunday afternoon, the day of the Olympic gold medal hockey game between the United States and Canada, I was visiting my father in the hospital. Dad, always a well-liked guy, had reached a new level of popularity because he was the only one in his room with one of those rinky dink TVs you get for $11.25 a day to distract yourself from the boredom and discomfort of hospitalization. With this, the last day of the mega-event, Olympic fever at an all-time high and the excitement and patriotism was palpable on the ward. Dad's visitors crowded around his bed, eyes fixated on his mini TV screen, even though we couldn't hear a single word. The TV had no sound, except through headphones hanging around Dad's shoulders, The nurses kept popping in for updates. “Joe, how much time is left?” “Joe, what's the score?” “Joe, who scored that goal?” Then just like Murphy's law, we were distracted momentarily when Sidney Crosby made his historic goal. But the sudden eruption of cheers and clapping coming from the hallway told us what had happened. “We won!” “Canada won!” Nurses hovered around my father’s bed to watch the T cameras scan the faces of fans and the Canadian and US players. For a little while, patients' buzzers were silent. They were content to wait just a little bit longer for their medication, at least until after the game was over. No one wanted to miss witnessing history. The Olympics had provided a welcome distraction for the patients on the ward. The mood was high outside, too. On the drive home from the hospital we saw a young man walking jauntily down the street, wearing a large Canadian flag like a superman cape. Car horns blasted, drivers and passengers hooted and waved from their car windows. Small groups of people dressed in Olympic garb gathered in front yards. Exuberance was everywhere. There will be a lot of discussion over the next few days, months, years about whether or not these

Olympic games did BC and Canada any favours. Was it worth it? Critics will argue it was not, that there was no economic benefit, that the money could have been better spent on far more important endeavours, and that the cost of the Olympics was borne by program cuts that hurt the poor and underprivileged. Proponents of these Olympic games will say success cannot be measured overnight, that the ripple effect of tourism will occur for years to come. They will point to the medals won, athletes who faced great challenges, the bringing together of so many countries for a peaceful event. They'll quote IOC officials, who said the Vancouver games had the best Winter Olympic atmosphere since the 1994 Games in Lillehammer, Norway. Our athletes did us proud. Thousands of volunteers did us proud. For this week, at least, let’s just have a feel good moment and bask in a little Canadian pride. The wisdom of hosting the Olympic Games can be debated another day That doesn't mean we cannot or should never hold VANOC fiscally responsible. Just not today. For me, this will be the most memorable winter games ever. My Dad spent the entire 2010 Winter Games in the hospital, and between being poked and prodded by lab technicians, nurses and physiotherapists, he had the pleasure to watch Canada host a fantastic Winter Olympics. I will always remember sitting on my Dad's hospital bed while he explained the curling terms “ends” “rocks” and “hammers.” And how a community – in a hospital – came together to cheer on Canada's elite athletes.

Cover Photo: Jo Berry, Olympic Torch Bearer, Photo submitted.

NORTH of 50 March 2010 5Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Haiti: A Man-Made Catastrophe

The Lethal Strains of TB

Just a few years after my brother was born, my mother was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Treatment and a

cure meant many weeks in a sanitarium. This was a time when it wasn't so unusual for Canadians to contract that dreaded disease. Because she was put on heavy doses of sulfa drugs, my mother believed she would never be able to have any more children. So, years later it was a big surprise when she became pregnant with me. Flash forward many decades and it is a rich irony that

now just a few months before the same age my mother was when she eventually died from cancer, here I am on the other side of the world in Uzbekistan working with TB patients. Not just ordinary TB but multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, and extreme multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, respectively abbreviated as MDR-TB and XMDR-TB. I came here to work as a mental health specialist with an international aid organization. The team of counsellors which I supervise has the job of convincing and supporting patients to stay on the treatment that can save their lives. Unlike the strain of TB my mom had, MDR-TB and XMDR-TB are difficult to treat. They require two years of medication, often with such serious side effects as continual nausea, pain, hearing loss, mood shifts, and even psychosis. In the end there is no guarantee of success. But unlike other diseases which might have adverse side effects, with this one to not go through treatment, or worse to stop treatment once started, means the high likelihood of infecting others and of furthering the mutation of increasingly lethal strains of TB. Of course, we are responsible for this development. This is a country where respiratory disease contributes to almost 50% of all deaths. It is epidemic. Regular TB is epidemic. MDR-TB is epidemic. And it will spread. When I say we are responsible, I mean we as in us humans. The problem began in Soviet times when it was decided that this region could grow cotton in abundance. But only with enough irrigation. That was easy to solve. Water from the two main rivers feeding the Aral Sea was diverted in massive irrigation systems. The Aral Sea was the 4th largest inland body of water in the world. Larger than all the Great Lakes other than Superior and Huron. It was abundant with marine life, supporting

a thriving fishing industry that fed hundreds of thousands, and it attracted tourists to its picturesque shores. But the draining from the rivers caused the sea to shrink. When communism fell in 1991, the current government continued the irrigation. They needed the cotton production. The Aral Sea continued to shrink. In fact, it dropped to 20% of its size. Every living thing died because the salt content stayed the same. The exposed sea bed, now a vast and barren plane offers up tons of fertilizers, pesticides, salts, and other contaminates to the winds throughout the year. Everyone breathes in these particles. Hence, they sicken and they die. Soon after leaving the station 800 kilometres in the capital of Tashkent, the train starts to cut through flat, arid land and a light skim of white appears. Since it was winter when I arrived, I thought it was skiff of snow.But it is salt. Such a long way from the Aral Sea, salt covers the land.People talk of the taste of salt in vegetables and fruit. Drinking water in this town where I live three hundred kilometres from the old sea, has a slight tinge of salt. We did this. We, who wanted to produce massive amounts of cotton from a land unable to produce it naturally. We, who want to buy this cotton cheaply. We, who want what we want and do whatever we want to get it. And we who believe that what happens on other parts of the planet is of no concern to us and so pay no attention because it doesn't matter. The message is this: Unlike the Chernobyl nuclear disaster which was a mistake, the Aral Sea disaster was done wilfully. What it indelibly demonstrates is that humans can make massive changes to the earth. If we have done this to the Aral Sea with virtually no response of outrage, we can and will do it on the same scale elsewhere. It's just a matter of time. I had learned of the situation before coming here. But it was travelling across the land and seeing the white of the salt everywhere that drove it home on an emotional level. Walking into a cold, bare-walled cubicle in an MDR TB ward drove it home all the more deeply. This was the cubicle of Massor Strachov. He is 62 and was an artist. He sat silently in his chair watching a TV program. Alone and unwanted by family, he is now partially deaf. He stayed on the arduous treatment regimen for the fully required two years. Two years of side effects and growing deafness. And now, now he is known as a treatment failure. He will die. And that matters.

Calvin White

While the January 12 earthquake that devastated Haiti was indeed a natural disaster, the human

catastrophe that followed is directly attributable to the poverty, brutality, exploitation and political manipulation that have plagued Haiti since its creation as a slave colony in the early 17th century. By the time the French took over from the Spanish in 1697, the indigenous population was extinct. As plantations expanded (by the 1780s, Haiti produced about 40 percent of all the sugar and 60 percent of all the coffee consumed in Europe), the demand for African slaves became insatiable.

By 1789, the slave population totaled 500,000 was ruled over by just 30,000 whites. Terrified at the prospect of a slave revolt, the plantation owners and overseers responded with cruelty and brutality unmatched in the history of the Atlantic slave trade. In a diary entry by a slave who later became a leader in the Haitian Revolution, the full extent of the horror used to crush the slave population is revealed: Have they not hung up men with heads downward, drowned them in sacks, crucified them on planks, buried them alive, crushed them in mortars? …forced them to eat excrement? …Have they not cast them alive to be devoured by worms, or onto anthills, or lashed them to stakes in the swamp to be devoured by mosquitoes? Have they not thrown them into boiling cauldrons of cane syrup… put men and women inside barrels studded with spikes and rolled them down mountainsides into the abyss? All of this began to change with the French Revolution and the slave revolt of 1791. And when France passed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1794, Haiti’s great revolutionary leader, Toussaint Louverture, aligned himself with the French. Preaching equality and reconciliation, he governed over a peaceful, prosperous land. But Napoleon had other plans. In 1803 his brother-in-law arrested Louverture and his entire family. Louverture was imprisoned in France and died soon afterwards. Napoleon then sent more than 40,000 French troops to crush the rebellion and reinstate slavery. In the ensuing war, tens of thousands died in one of the most barbaric wars ever fought. (After one battle, the French general buried 500 prisoners of war alive.) Through bravery and determination, the Haitians won and declared independence in 1804, becoming the second republic in the Western hemisphere and the first black republic in the world. But the country was devastated. Most damaging, to lift a

crippling embargo imposed by the French, British and Americans, Haiti was forced to pay retribution for the "lost property” (including slaves) of the former colonialists. To do so, the Haitian government had to take out high interest loans. The debt was not repaid in full until 1947. The late 1800s saw the introduction of a new constitution, the stabilization of social institutions and the flowering of Haitian culture. But by 1911, Americans acquired control over Haiti’s national bank and then, in 1915, at the request of the American investors, the US occupied the country and remained in direct control until 1934. This era was marked by brutal repression, forced labour, and the passage of laws that reduced Haiti to an economic colony of the US.During the Cold War, the U.S. supported the dictatorships of the Duvaliers as an anti-communist counterweight to Castro's Cuba. Dumped American agricultural imports flooded Haiti, destroying peasant farming. As a result, hundred of thousands of people flocked to the teeming slums of Port-au-Prince to labor for pitifully low wages in sweatshops located in U.S. export processing zones. Finally, in the 1980s, Haitians rose up and drove Baby Doc from power and elected as president reformer Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who promised land reform, aid to peasants, reforestation, investment in infrastructure, and increased wages and union rights for sweatshop workers. The U.S. responded by backing a coup that drove Aristide from power in 1991. Though eventually returned, the elected president was forced to accept an economic program that ensured Haiti would remain an economic and political colony of the US. Even this wasn’t enough. First the U.S. imposed an economic embargo that strangled the country, and in 2004, Washington collaborated with Haiti's ruling elite to topple the government. The puppet regime that followed dismantled the mild reforms Aristide had managed to implement. The pattern of impoverishment and degradation of the country's infrastructure accelerated. As Guardian columnist Seumas Milne points out, what this sad saga translates into can be seen in the stark contrast between Haiti and neighbouring Cuba. While Haiti's infant mortality rate is 80 per 1,000, Cuba's is 5.8; while nearly half of Haitian adults are illiterate, the figure in Cuba is around 3%. And while 800 Haitians died in the hurricanes that devastated both islands last year, Cuba lost four people. So when you see those shattered buildings and shattered lives, remember that the poverty that underlies it all is neither natural nor inevitable. Instead it is the result, as Milne puts it, of “calculated impoverishment.”

Don Sawyer

FAIR COMMENT

NORTH of 50 March 20106 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Coming Events

Dementia Education Workshops

Dementia Education Workshop: Getting To Know Dementia Basic information about Al-zheimer’s and related dementia and the pro-gression helps deal with the disease at all stag-es. 9:00 am to noon at Alzheimer Society of BC, 543 Battle Street, Kamloops, BC For informa-tion and to register call 250-377-8200 or e-mail ssmith@alzheimerbc.org You must re-register for this free workshop. Donation appreciated.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010Dementia Education Workshop: Planning and Navigating the System of Care. Critical plan-ning early can avoid more costly and challeng-ing options later. Knowing the system of care helps access resources more readily when care needs are greater. 6 to 8:30 pm at Alzheimer So-ciety of BC, 543 Battle Street , KamloopsFor information and to register call 250-377-8200 or e-mail ssmith@alzheimerbc.orgYou must re-register for this free workshop. Do-nation appreciated

Wednesday, March 17, 2010Dementia Education Workshop: Transition and the Move to Residential Care Basic information about Alzheimer’s and related dementia and the progression helps deal with the disease at all stages. 9:am to noon at Alzheimer Society of BC, 543 Battle Street , KamloopsFor information and to register call 250-377-8200 or e-mail ssmith@alzheimerbc.orgYou must re-register for this free workshop. Do-nation appreciated .Tuesday, March 23, 2010Dementia Education Workshop Approaches to Communication and Behaviour Changes Ap-proaches and strategies to support the person with dementia that help you to care as the dis-ease progresses. 6 to 8:30pm at Alzheimer So-ciety of BC, 543 Battle Street, Kamloops, BCFor information and to register call 250-377-8200 or e-mail ssmith@alzheimerbc.orgYou must re-register for this free workshop. Do-nation appreciated.

March 3 at 7:30 pm, "TAILGATE PARTY" With his signature catchphrase, "Git-R-Done", Larry the Cable Guy is selling out theatres and arenas across the United States.Interior Savings Centre,In person @ ISC Box-Office & all Ticketmaster Outlets, By telephone @ (250) 374-9200,Online at Ticketmaster

March 4 -March 6, TRU ACTORS WORKSHOP presents Unity. TRU's Actors Workshop Theatre pres-ent Kevin Kerr's award-winning play Unity, a story of the Spanish flue epidemic in Canada. 8:00pm on cam-pus. Tickets available at the theatre box office in Old Main and are $12.

March 5-7, CURLING BONSPIEL - Ladies' 1 0 0 Mile House sponsored by the 100 Mile House Curling Club, annual Ladies' Bonspiel, entry $180 per team + calcutta; Theme tba Mel Dodge 250-395-5265.

March 5 from 7 pm - 10 pm. Come enjoy the live mu-sic of JIM COCHRAN & MARK PETRI at Chances Barside Lounge & Grill.

March 6, "T-GAMES" - SNOWCROSS, Lac La Hache, Mt. Timothy Administration Office, 250-395-3772 skitimothy@bcinternet.net

March 6, ICE CARNIVAL 100 Mile House S .C . Rec Centre, Sponsored by the 100 Mile Figure Skating Club, Deb Evans, 250-395-1842

March 6 AT 7 pm, MUSIC FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART, presented by Thompson Valley Community Orchestra at the Calvary Community Church featur-ing Peter and the World with narrator Carlene Wiebe, who will also present some musical theatre comedy pieces. Additional music from Narnia, Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter promises an evening of entertainment for the whole family. Admission by cash donation

March 6 and 7, ANNUAL RYAN LARSON SNOW-BALL TOURNAMENT Interlakes Area, Interlakes Hall Ball Grounds Team entry fee is $200, payable in advance. Teams must have a minimum of 11 and a max of 18 players, at least four must be the opposite sex. Registration deadline is Feb. 28, 2010; Tim Rus-cheinsky, 250-593-2239

March 6, THE THOMPSON VALLEY COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA under the direction of Norris Berg presents "Music for the Young at Heart" Some of the selections include "Pirates of the Caribbean", "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "Harry Potter". The featured work will be 'PETER AND THE WOLF' narrated by soprano Carlene Wiebe who will also perform musical theatre - comedy selections. Concert is March 6th at 7PM at Calvary Community Church.Call Norris Berg at 250-828-1542

March 6, SHERMAN DOUCETTE at The PlazaSherman Doucette and his band, A Tankful of Blues, perform in Blackwell Hall at the Plaza Heritage Hotel. Doors open at 7:30pm - show time 8:30.Tickets are $15, available from the Plaza front desk, Perry's Re-cording Studio or Brant Zwicker at 377-3988.

March 6, CREATIVE WOMEN'S ART SHOW, Walhachin Soldier's Memorial Hall, from noon till the

evening. Following are just a few of the events planned for the day: Theresa Kishkan, author of The Age of Wa-terlilies, a novel whose main character is a resident of Walhachin during the British settlement, will be read-ing selections from her book. Jo Petty of Ashcroft will host a rock painting workshop.Colleen Vick of Wal-hachin will host a tie-dying workshop. Bring a T-shirt or whatever you would like to tie-dye.There will be musical entertainment throughout the day and evening following the dinner. Also a performance by Ashcroft bellydancers.

March 7 at 2 pm - MOVIE MATINEE. There is no admission, but bring your own snacks! North Shore Community Centre

March 13 from 9am-5pm - 5TH ANNUAL SPRING ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES SALE. Admis-sion is $4.North Shore Community Centre

March 13th, DINNER AND DANCE SAINT PATRICK’S DAY, Dance to Country Persuasion, Jim White, Dinner tickets $7.00 6pm dance to follow. Chase Legion

March 14 from 9am-3pm - 5 TH ANNUAL SPRING ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES SALE. Admis-sion is $4.North Shore Community Centre

Tuesday, March 16 at 6 pm - FAMOUS PIE NIGHT. Cost is $3 at the door and includes live entertainment, pie and coffee.North Shore Community Centre

March 17, KATE MAKI AND BRENT RANDALL Songstress Kate Maki and Brent Randall of the Pine-cones team-up for a tour promoting their new record-ings. They perform March 17 at The Art We Are, 322 Victoria Street.

March 18 at 3 pm, Medieval Movie Matinees at the Museum, BECKET, Come to the Museum and enjoy a movie! Cost: Adult $5, Seniors/Students $4, Children $2.

March 20 from 8am-12pm - COMMUNITY FLEA MARKET. Tables can be rented for $5 by calling 250.376.4777 North Shore Community Centre

March 20 at 7 pm, BARNHARTVALE COFFEE HOUSE. Our Feature Act will be Kamloops own Folk and Blues singer Trevor Caswell, for a return engage-ment. His latest CD "Folksinger Blues" was nominat-ed for BCIMA Blues Recording of the Year and his set will feature songs from it as well as songs both old and new. Bring the family out for some great music and home baked goodies. Doors 7pm; Music 7:30pm; Admission still only $4; children and "Open Mic" per-forming musicians are free. To volunteer and for info please call Cherryl at 250-573-5719

March 20, BARRA MACNEILS IN CONCERT!Widely regarded as one of the best live acts in the Celt-ic world, the Barra MacNeils will be in concert for one show only at the Kamloops Convention Centre Dinner Theatre.Tickets are $52.50 Get tickets by calling ORA Restaurant Lounge at 250-372-5312

March 21 at 5pm - COMMUNITY DINNER - open to all. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance at the Front Desk. Carl McLaughlin will be entertain-ing. North Shore Community Centre

March 26 at 2 pm, OLD TIME DANCE with the Golden Serenadors. All are welcome to come enjoy live music from the 30's & 40's and dance away the

afternoon! Cost is $4 at the door plus donations for cof-fee/goodies. North Shore Community Centre

March 26 at 6 pm, DUCKS UNLIMITED CANADA Ashcroft/Cache Creek Committee invites you to its annual Banquet and Auction, Cache Creek Community Hall. 6 pm, viewing and cocktails 7 pm dinner Auction & raffles to follow, tickets $30 each. For info and or tickets 250-457-9560 or 250-453-2595

March 27 at 7:30 pm, KAMLOOPS SYMPHONY presents A retrospective of the great British com-posers from Purcell to Britten. The superb Kamloops Symphony Chorus performs the glorious Te deum by Handel. Saturday 7:30 pm at the Calvary Community Church. Call 250-372-5000 for tickets or more infor-mation.

March 28, SINGLES DART TOURNAMENT 2:30pm Chase Legion

March 29 at 7 pm - MOVIE NIGHT. There is no ad-mission, but bring your own snacks!North Shore Com-munity Centre

March 30 at 5 pm - COMMUNITY DINNER - open to all. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance at the Front Desk. Catered by Fatman's Catering. North Shore Community Centre

NORTH of 50 March 2010 7Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

7:00 pm. Jeanette Moslin (250) 372-9669.

The Wells Gray Country Seniors Society meet the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at the Resource Centre; Third Sunday Seniors Social at 1p.m. in the Munroe Room at Wells Gray Inn; Seniors Book Club meet on the fourth Thursday of each month in the Clearwater library. Contact Lois Geiger, lgeiger@mercuryspeed.com.

The Kamloops Raging Grannies is a non-partisan group of women who use humor to actively raise the consciousness of citizens through peaceful means to promote positive change within our communities. More info 372-3105.

Tuesday afternoon cribbage at the McArthur park lawn Bowling Clubhouse (beside NorBroc Stadium) at 1:30 p.m. Everyone welcome. No partners needed. Crib, coffee and good company. Call 250-579-0028.

Are you a breast cancer survivor looking for fun, fitness and friendship? The Spirit Warrior dragon boat team is a great group of women who meet Tuesdays & Thursdays at 6pm at Pioneer Park in Kamloops. We are looking for more members, no experience required! Call Liama at 377-8514 or Dell at 320-1765 or e-mail spiritwarriors@shaw.ca.

Bridge at Desert Gardens Community Centre, every Tuesday, at 12:30 p.m. 540 Seymour Street. For info call (250) 372-5110.

The Kamloops Family History Society meets every fourth Thursday throughout the year Sept - May. We meet at the Heritage House from 7:00 - 9:00 pm.

To all bridge players: We welcome new players to our 12:30p.m. Tuesday gatherings at Desert Gardens Community Centre on Seymour Street. If you know the fundaments of the game, you can learn as you go. Call Dave, 250-374-4963, or Peg, 250-376-0250

The Alzheimer Society of BC, Central Interior, 543 Battle St. Kamloops, offers programs and services for people whose lives are

100 Mile House100 Mile Legion All-Veterans get-togethers are held Saturdays at 2 p.m. at the legion. Meat draws at 3 p.m. For more information call 395-2511.

Creekside Seniors Centre offers activities for seniors such as pool, darts, bridge, whist, cribbage and carpet bowling. For more information call (250)395-3919.

108 Newcomers Group. First and third Thursday of every month at 10:30 am in the Community Centre upstairs room. Meet other newcomers over a cup of coffee in an informal setting. Drop-in fee: $2. Caroline 791-9250.

Spinners and Weavers meetings in the event calen meet every first Friday at the Parkside Art Gallery, at 385 Dogwood Crescent from 10 am to 2pm interest-ed people can contact our president Unni at: http://www.trollheimenweaving.com/

BarriereBarriere Survivors meet 2nd Monday of the Month 10:30 am to 12:30 @ Volunteer Centre. Anyone who has suffered a Brain Injury Ph. Kamloops Brain Injury Assoc (250) 372-1799 ask for John

Alzheimers/Dementia Support Group 1st Thursday of each month from 10:00a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Volunteer Centre on Barriere Town Rd. Phone 250-377-8200 or 1-800-886-6946.

CHaseChase Village Friday Evening Market 4-7 pm. Local produce, baked goods, and arts & crafts.

KaMloopsBIG Little Science CentrePUBLIC HOURS 2009 - 2010 Discover & Explore Fun Science. Enjoy TWO FULL Rooms with over 130 Hands-on Stations. Thursdays and Fridays 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Saturdays 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. With a Special Activity or Show at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Closed Sundays and Holidays. For more information contact: Gord Stewart at: 250-554-

2572 or 250-319-0689 E-mail: gord@blscs.org

The newly formed Kamloops Garden Railway Club is looking for donations of large-scale track, buildings & rolling stock for a permanent "G" scale layout at The Kamloops Wildlife Park. Tax receipts will be issued. To donate or for more information on our organization ~ call Hans @ 250-828-1418.

Breast cancer support group meet the second Saturday of the month at Lansdown Village, lower level, 111-450 Lansdowne St., from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Call 250-374-9188.

Wonder CafeSoup Kitchen at Mt. Paul United Church, 140 Laburnum Ave. (Kamloops North Shore), serves hot lunch every Thursday from 11a.m. to 1p.m.

Kamloops Ostomy Support Group meets at 7 pm on first Thursday of month at Medichair, boardroom. 210-450 Landsdowne Street, contact for info: Ken at 250-819-0315 or Evelyn at 250-828-6647.

Pottery classes for the Fab 55+. Discover or rediscover the great feeling of creating in clay- Hand building, sculpture, coils or slabs. Held every Tuesday from 1-3:30PM at Heritage House pottery studio in Riverside Park. $5 for non members $3 for members. Free clay is available for small projects and fee covers firing, glazing and use of tools. For more information contact Diane Britt at 573-2604 or 377-8793.

The local chapter of Green Drinks International (greendrinks.org) will meet on the first Monday of each month. November 2nd, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Green Drinks is a non-profit social group. Topics discussed in the past include gardening, green home building, air pollution, home canning, straw bale houses!Mary Ellen Grant megloops@gmail.com or250.371.7172

Kamloops Garden Club Meets every 4th Wed. of the month in Heritage House at

affected by Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Programs and services include education workshops and information and support groups for family caregivers and for people diagnosed with early dementia. Call 250-377-8200 or 1-800-866-6946.

Interior Authors Group, a group that brings people together who are interested in the art of writing, meets the second Wednesday of the month at the Kamloops Art Gallery, 465 Victoria St., at 7p.m. Call Ted Joslin, 250-374-8910.

Dance to the music of the Kamloops Old Time Fiddlers every 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month from now until the end of April, 7:30 to 10:30 pm at Heritage House, 100 Lorne Street. Members $ 6.00 ea., non-members $ 7.00. Everyone is welcome. FMI 250-376-2330."

Join a fun men’s and women’s a cappella chorus, The Hub City Singers, in rehersals every Tuesday, 7 to 9p.m., at the Old Yacht Club, 1140 River St. Members don’t have to be able to read music. Call 250-578-7503.

Seniors Dance with the Golden Serenadors every second Friday of the month at the North Shore Community Centre, 730 Cottonwood Ave. Admission $4 Call 250-376-4777

PATCHS, a grassroots community-based group working to achieve positive changes in the health care system, meets the first Monday of each month at Kamloops United Church, 421 St. Paul St., at 6:30p.m. Call Rick, 250-579-8541 or email riturner@shaw.ca.

Kamloops Ostomy Support Group meets at 7 pm on first Thursday of month. Contact: Ketina at 250-571-1456.

THE KAMLOOPS FAM-ILY HISTORY SOCIETY meets the 4th Thursday of each month at Heritage House, 100 Lorne St., Riv-erside Park, 7-9 p.m. (Sept to May). Dr. Tom Dickin-son from TRU will speak on DNA in Genealogy. Guests and new members are welcome. For infor call 250-579-2078.

laC la HaCHe

OAPO #176 Pioneer Centre offer several activities, such as pool, bridge, Canasta, square dancing, contra, rounds, pilates, and general exercise. For more information call Ron 250.396.7298, Agnes 250.396.7231 or Hazel 250.396.7698

lillooetRoyal Canadian Legion Branch 66 737 Main Street Lillooet BC 250-256-7332Meat draws every Friday 5:30-8:30PM Members and Guests always welcome

Carpet Bowling for Seniors, Mondays & Thursdays from 10:30 - 11:30 am at the Gymnasium or Mezzanine at the Lillooet & District REC Centre, 930 Main Street. Drop In Fee.

50+ Fitness at the REC Centre. aerobic style fitness class, Nov. 10-3, 9-10 am, $56 PHone (250) 256-7527

Adult Drop-in Hockey, September through March noon to 1 pm, Mondays and Wednesdays at the REC Centre. Drop in Rates Appy

logan laKeLogan Lake Seniors holds Bingo Fridays 1-3, 80 - 150 Opal, Village Centre Mall. Call (250) 523-2759.

MerrittBingo Tuesdays at 1 p.m. at the Merritt Senior Centre. Rummoli and Pool Fridays at 7 p.m. 2202

Jackson Avenue.

Join the Toastmasters to gain confidence! They meet every Tuesday at 5:00 pm at the Merritt Library.

savonaJoin us for exercise Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8:45 a.m. OAPO Branch 129, 6605 Buie Road/Savona Access Road. Call Jennier Coburn for more info at (250) 373-0081.

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NORTH of 50 March 20108 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Q. Huguette, you have been tremendously successful as a political candidate and especially as a Green Party candidate. You almost placed second in the last federal election, raising the Green vote from 4 to 17%. Do you think that success showed support for you or for the Green Party?

Both. A lot of people really connected with what I have been saying in this riding. They feel in their bones that we can't continue on with "business as usual." Once they hear about Green policies, people find they make sense. Green policies work together so that what's good for the economy is also good for our environment and our health.

Q. In light of your political success, many people in the Okanagan-Shuswap were surprised to read about your resignation as the Green Party candidate. What brought you to that decision?When I ran in 2008 I was determined, if elected, to go to Ottawa and do the best job I could. I firmly believe that even one voice of reason can do a lot to bring about the changes we need. However, since I moved to BC from the East in order to be close to my sons and their families, and given that I am now 62 and that the grandkids are growing, I want to spend time with them. With no immediate election on the horizon, now is a good time to let someone else become known so Greens can continue building strength for the next elections.

Q. You are reported as criticizing the ‘first–past-the-post’ voting system. Why does it fail voters?It is a horse & buggy system designed a few hundred years ago for a two party race. It doesn’t work with more than two parties. The fact is, there are more than just two points of view in today’s complex world and there are more than two political parties in this country. When voter preference is divided between three or four parties, we often find more people voting against the elected party, than for it. The math is simple. If 30% vote for the Red Party, 30% for the Green Party and 40% for the Blue Party, the Blues are elected, even though the 60% majority chose a different party. That’s not democracy.

Q. How would proportional representation improve that?Most democracies around the world have advanced to

some form of proportional representation that gives a voice to the majority of voters. Greens are part of the government in most of those countries. Many ideas propagated by the Green Party have been implemented in those countries and have proven to work. Yet in Canada, with close to 1 million Canadians having voted Green; 10,000 in this riding alone, Greens have no voice at all. Ignoring diversity & in many cases the majority, is an injustice.

Q. Wouldn’t that mean perpetual minority governments?It would mean governments that better represent voters’ wishes and partnerships that represent majorities. It was during one of those partnership governments that Canada got Medicare. I think Canadians are happy with that.

Q. How can we change the system? I believe the only way is to educate voters so they can understand it. Unfortunately, we see that the established parties have nothing to gain from proportional representation, so they spin it as something complex that would leave us without leadership. In fact, it would do the very opposite. People need to see that it works by looking at countries that have it and then demand it.

Q. In your official press release, you say “Green policies can solve the problems we face because they are integrated”. What do you mean by that? If we look at the major problems we face right now, we see that they are all inter-related. I just bought the book Storms of my grandchildren: The Truth About the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity by James Hansen, director of NASA. He points to the most urgent catastrophes we must avoid, including; melting of the ice sheets and disappearance of species that are associated with climate change and our production of greenhouse gases. Over the last year, governments have reacted to the biggest economic recession since the 1930s. But instead of shifting the economy away from ‘grey’, polluting industries that make these problems worse, they are handing them bail-outs. Green Policies would turn blue collar jobs into green collar jobs. By investing in innovative technologies that reduce greenhouse gases in the automotive, energy and construction industries, Green policies would stimulate improvements in other sectors. Fixing the economy would be integrated with fixing the environment, which would contribute significantly to improving our health.

Q. You also say, “We can’t solve the healthcare crisis unless we develop an economy that is good for us, instead of one that makes us sick”. Is that an example of ‘integration’? Yes, this is an excellent example! Let's look at how the global food economy alone contributes to health, or rather sickness. While a few multinationals such as

Monsanto make huge profits producing genetically modified crops, chemical fertilizers, suicide seeds, and pharmaceuticals - talk of vertical integration! They invented it - local farmers can no longer make a living producing food that is grown naturally. Force fed, hormone and drug injected livestock, heavily sprayed produce and the processed foods and drinks brimming with preservatives that fill our supermarkets are linked to obesity, diabetes amd cancers. Include all the chemicals used by agribusiness and industry, and you can add learning disabilities, reproductive problems and a whole series of disorders to the ailments they cause. GMOs are a new, unfinished experiment on a scale never seen before. We know that rats fed GMOs have diseased organs - what are they doing to us? To our children? They’re appearing in everything. So while governments let corporations make us sick, our tax dollars pay for increased healthcare costs. And when we can no longer pay? The Private health providers come in...

Q. How would a ‘Green’ economy improve that?By making sure that our economic model is based on what is good for people, not for corporations. We have an opportunity to shift from an economic model based on the unsustainable exploitation of resources to a sustainable and resilient economic model based on conservation and renewable resources; a model that advances the common good and ensures quality of life for all Canadians.

Q. Many say that we are the problem. That we simply consume too much. Of course we do. If everyone in the world consumed as much as North Americans, we’d need four more planet Earths.Our one planet simply cannot support that much consumption or garbage. And I wonder if people are that much happier than we were in the 1960s when this race for more stuff started? But remember too, that our habits are influenced by the big corporations beaming advertising at us constantly. By controlling major media outlets, they have taken over our powers of critical thinking. Instead of being masters of our own destinies, or even democracy for that matter, people have become purchasing pawns in the corporate game of influence. Working for stuff takes time from living for experience. We need to unplug the TV cables, those umbilical cords to media mind control, and start thinking again for ourselves. Education, culture & experience are more durable than stuff.

Q. Do you think there is any possibility of Greens being elected under the present system?Yes. People sense we are on the brink of some major disasters. They are considering alternatives.

Q. What are your plans for the future?Protest. I will protest with citizen groups that fight water pollution. I will work with organizations to promote local, natural food production. I will stand for human rights, medicare and social democracy. I’m stepping down from the podium to pick up with my grandchildren but I’m not stepping away from advocacy.

Thank you, Huguette Allen, for this chat.

Interview with Huguette Allen by Greig Crockett

Photo credit: Marie-France Ladouceur of Image Photo

NORTH of 50 March 2010 9Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

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An historic $2 million pledge to Thompson Rivers University was announced at Saturday’s 18th

Annual TRU Foundation Gala.

Mark and Ellen Brown made the largest private pledge ever to the TRU Foundation to support the construction of the House of Learning and for the continued growth of the university and for the support of students.

In making the announcement to the 350 guests at the Gala, Mark Brown noted that his company Northern Trailer had achieved a tremendous amount of success since the company’s Kamloops inception in 1981. “It is our hope that this gift to TRU will make a difference through education to many people in this community and in our region,” Brown said. “We have never lost sight of the employees and the community of Kamloops that have helped to make our business successful, and this is our way of thanking the people of this community and the province for their role in our success.”

The Brown’s donation to the House of Learning consists of shares currently worth $750,000, with a further donation of $1.25 million within the next five years that will support other initiatives to be determined by the Browns and TRU.

“All combined this pledge of two million dollars by the Brown family will be the largest private gift ever received by the TRU Foundation,” said Dr. Roger Barnsley, TRU President and Vice-Chancellor. “Clearly, this generous gift will make a monumental difference to our students, our university and our community.”

Brown is the President of Northern Trailer. Since 2007 Northern Trailer has been a division of Horizon North Logistics Inc. of Calgary. Northern Trailer’s strength serving the mining, forestry, construction and service industries earned it the honour of the Best Manufacturer of the Year by the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce for two consecutive years. As part of this publicly-traded group of companies, Northern Trailer continues to strengthen its competitive position.

The House of Learning project was first announced in April 2008 and is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2010. The 63,000 square-foot space is the campus’s first LEED gold certified building and will provide a significant addition to library and learning space for all students on campus, and also incorporate features and facilities to enhance the learning needs of Aboriginal students.

Couple Pledge to $2 Million to University

Mark Brown, president of Northern Trailer and the Kamloops company's former owner, offers a friendly challenge to the other business leaders gathered at the 2010 TRU Founda-tion Gala. On stage with him is his wife Ellen and TRU Board chair Karl deBruijn.

Do you have a personal experience story you would like to share with North of 50 readers?

North of 50 invites you to submit your story for publication. A personal experience story can be about anything. It might be inspiring, funny, scary or weird. It might be about a wonderful holiday or a travel nightmare. It might be about pursuning a lifelong passion, how you coped with a health crisi or a personal loss. It could be a love story, a ghost story or an embarassing tale. It's your story, whatever that is.

Guidelines:Stories should be between 600 and 800 words and be on any topic, but it must be your own personal experience.You must include your telephone number and address. These will not be published and are for verification purposes only.

Please submit your story to: Email: editor@northof50.comFax: 250-546-8914 (Attn. Editor)Mail: Personal Experience Editor, North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

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NORTH of 50 March 201010 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Hours: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm ~ Thurs until 7:30 pm Closed: Sun - Mon ~ 250-828-3576

Explore the untold stories of our past

Visit the Museum All new exhibits and Children's Museum in 2010

Open year round

museum@kamloops.ca ~ kamloops.ca/museum

Kamloops is a city of many firsts — certainly as far as the Interior of B.C. is concerned, and elsewhere in other instances. It was the first city in the Interior to operate traffic lights; adopt the ‘turn right on red’ prin-ciple of law; house a refinery; and install an elevator. Fifty-three years ago, Kamloops chalked up a conti-nental first by becoming the first city with a population under 100,000 in North America to operate its own television station. On April 8, 1957, CFCR-TV, Channel 4, began transmission from a homemade 26-metre tower affixed to the roof of its studio building on the corner of Fourth Avenue and St. Paul. “The opening of the Kamloops television station is ‘a big adventure of our time,’” said Douglas Nixon, CBC program director during CFCR-TV’s official opening. “The people of Kamloops will be different people with the coming of TV. They will be better informed and happier people.” Credited with heralding the golden age of television into Kamloops, CFJC radio station manager/Twin Cit-ies Television president Ian G. Clark was undoubtedly the happiest man in the city during Channel 4’s inau-gural broadcast. Involved with CFJC radio since 1940, Clark applied for a television license in 1953, an ambitious and risky move at the time in lieu of the fact there were only four operating television stations in all of Canada and re-search indicated a television station could not survive economically without a minimum market of 350,000 people. Before receiving its television license in 1956, the first such license in the B.C. Interior, Twin Cities Tele-vision pioneers had to endure a thousand-and-one set-

backs and disappointments. During its first day of regularly scheduled program-ming, CFCR-TV transmitted 3.5 glorious hours of network programming into Kamloops’ living rooms, kicking-off with Howdy Doody. During its early days, the station kept viewers glued to their plastic-covered chesterfields with five hours of nightly programming. Prior to CFCR, some Southern Interior residents managed to position the Magnavox’s antennae in such a way as to pull in weak signals of the American fa-vourites Dragnet, Perry Como and Father Knows Best from two TV stations in Spokane, Washington. The CBC-affiliated CFCR-TV kept American fa-vourites on the docket, supplementing them with a wide variety of popular Canadian news and entertain-ment programs — Wayne and Shuster, Exploration, Junior Magazine and Country Hoedown. The construction of two transmission towers on Mount Dufferin and Elephant Mountain (Ashcroft) in 1960 allowed CFCR-TV to increase its coverage as far west as Lytton and as far north as Quesnel. In 1964 a new radio and television station was built in Sa-hali. In 1969 Clark sold the television station to his son David and Jack Pollard and the call letters were changed to CFJC-TV.

Historical information contained in article extracted from the Kamloops Daily Sentinel and an essay penned by John Stewart and Ian Clark.

CFCR TV Kamloops by Sherry Bennett

With CFCR-TV came a deluge of marketing from local retailers, all vying to outfit residents with the revolutionary electronic device. Retailers offered a wide variety of sizes and styles, with a price grid suitable for all consumers. For the active youth there was the portable 10 inch Admiral — weighing a feathery 16.5 lbs. and costing $144.95, almost double an average months’ rent. For those with significant disposable incomes, the 24 inch Fleetwood console model made a wonderful complement to the wood paneled wall for just $499.50.

NORTH of 50 March 2010 11Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

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NORTH of 50 March 201012 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

HomeWhile the word “retreat” means to withdraw from battle, it can also signal a far more holistic escape for reflection and rejuvenation. British Columbia – a haven of mountains, forest and sea - is home to many examples of this other important type of retreat. Such places offer the ultimate refuge: experiences can shape new ways of living, aid in the pursuit of good health and inspire one to reflect on their own personal wealth – one that has nothing to do with dollars and cents. Here follows five vastly diverse opportunities for calm, seclusion, and, ultimately, the chance to breathe. Vancouver Island and the Gulf IslandsHollyhock Centre, nestled on Cortes Island in hauntingly beautiful Desolation Sound, positions itself as Canada’s leading educational retreat centre. Despite its isolation, the centre has been going strong for 27 years and is now a charitable foundation dedicated to learning and well-being. Here, you’ll unearth a wealth of activities, including yoga, kayaking, cooking and spa treatments; special weeks are also set aside for artists, writers and those seeking refuge from the pressures of daily life. Hollyhock is also renowned for its ongoing series of speakers who fall under their theme of social change programming: each explore and explain alternative lifestyles, teach a variety of art forms and indulge in spa therapies. “We find programs that bring together personal and professional skills have such a high value for people,” says Dana Bass Solomon, Hollyhock’s CEO. “The aim is to inspire and nourish people who are trying to make the world a better place.” Bass Solomon says the ongoing stresses of everyday life are leading more people to take stock in what is important to them. “Life is a little bit confusing right now and we are finding the types of gatherings we offer are a strong draw,” she says. For more information: www.hollyhock.ca or call: 1-800-933-6339. Kootenay RockiesQuantum Leaps Lodge, located on 11 acres in the Blaeberry River Valley near Golden, offers a wide variety of holistic pursuits for those eager to recharge their batteries – all within a glorious mountain setting. Retreats vary from the activity-based to the reflective: adventurous firewalking, dance, and shamanistic drumming workshops are scheduled alongside yoga, meditation and massage. (Outdoorsy types can partake in river rafting in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter.) As an added draw, the lodge hosts many guest speakers and specialists who explore spiritual growth. Annette Boelman, who co-owns the retreat with her partner Brian Olynek, says Quantum Leaps aims to provide visitors with the opportunity to explore ancient wisdoms from North America and around the world. Boelman says they call their workshops “playshops” to encourage a lighter, more joyful path to enlightenment. “We’re generalists when it comes to a spiritual path; we believe in using the best from international spiritualism. It all provides an excellent path. ” And within such a wide schedule of programs is the theme of exploration for self-knowledge and peace.

“We try to provide a safe sanctuary for inner and outer explorations,” says Boelman. “Some of our guests come for the beauty of the Rockies, some for rejuvenation.” For more information: www.quantumleaps.ca or call 1-800-716-2494. Yasodhara Ashram, a yoga retreat and study centre on 140 woodland acres along the shores of Kootenay Lake, attracts visitors from around the world. The ashram was founded in 1963 by Swami Sivananda Radha – an early pioneer of yoga in the West, unique particularly because she was a woman. As a westerner, she was able to bridge eastern yogic practices to everyday life in North America. The teachings offered at the ashram are both practical and inspiring. “We are a very vital spiritual community. Families come with little children and our oldest resident is 85,” Janet Gaston, the ashram’s manager of admissions, said. “Yoga goes beyond Hatha, beyond the postures. It is an entire system of living we try to follow.”

Gaston said that along with yogic movement typified by Hatha, the retreats they offer work with symbolism through dreams, chanting mantras and the invocation of divine light. Newcomers to yoga are just as welcome as longstanding enthusiasts. Visits can be as short as a few days or last three months or longer, and the ashram is open year round. “In terms of wellness, a lot of what we teach creates a balance in our lives… a focus. Typically visitors speak of finding rest and renewal, and they comment on how happy they are to meet other people with similar questions,” she adds. Along with those who want to explore the spiritual meaning of yogic life, the ashram is also popular with those who need to remove themselves from the stresses of city life, make a major life decision, or seek healing after health problems. For more information: www.yasodhara.org or call: 1-800-661-8711. Mountain Trek near Nelson is a retreat for the body that is good for the mind. Here, you’ll find a weight loss and fitness centre that combines the luxury of a spa and the discipline of a boot camp using the alpine trails and flowery landscape of the Kootenays as a backdrop. General manager Kirkland Shave says Mountain Trek staff aim to provide a challenging outdoor experience to de-stress guests, using the retreat’s FitPath program to change the unhealthy habits of a lifetime. Participants can go for one week or several.

“We’re pretty scientifically-focused. Weight loss is our visitors’ primary, conscious objective. The experience is very in-depth and we give them a tool bag so they can go home and integrate what they’ve learned into a subtle lifestyle change,” Shave says. He added that in the first three or four days many participants go through emotional moments as buried feelings surface. He attributes this to the rigours of the boot camp and the detoxification experienced thanks to the combination of organic diet and exercise. Most guests, Shave says, are “traditional” people who generally don’t try alternative therapies like yoga. “They are coming to us without having explored a lot. We make it safe and comfortable for them,” Shave adds. “By the end of the first week there is quite a transformation. The lines in their faces have dropped, they sleep more deeply and by the time they go home they are pretty pumped.” For more information: www.hiking.com or call: 1-800-661-5161. Cariboo Chilcotin CoastThe Hills Health Ranch near 108 Mile Ranch is nestled in the heart of the province’s cowboy country – a setting that the destination takes to heart. Surrounded by 20,000 acres of ranchland, the fitness spa and resort boasts a wide range of wellness services with the added bonus of time spent in the saddle. Guests are drawn to the retreat to decompress and to focus on personal well-being through quality fitness, food and fun, says the ranch’s wellness director Regula Wittmer. They stay from a week to 90 days, with longer stays increasing in popularity. Weekend breaks are also in demand. “It’s not the Hilton; we’re a ranch,” says Wittmer. Our packages and programs are luxurious and our staff…well, we are always getting compliments on how caring and nurturing they are - they are our strong point.” Face time with these professionals is indeed paramount; Hills Health Ranch offers over 40 fitness classes and weekly workshops, all with a focus on fitness in Mother Nature’s backyard. Along with their year-round programs, from hiking to skating, depending on the season, The Hills Health Ranch is also family-oriented, offering an array of children’s summer riding and winter ski camps. “Parents can do their own thing and their kids are well taken care of,” Wittmer says.

Horseback riding at Hills Health RanchPhoto: Tom Ryan

Retreat to British ColumbiaMind, Body and Spiritby Cathryn Atkinson

NORTH of 50 March 2010 13Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

and Away

Turkey, being surrounded by eight other countries has unique natural beauty. The bright sun, the high

mountains and the brimming seas and lakes along with the mixture of sound and sights of cultural customs make it for a perfect holiday spot. Travelers experience immense pleasure while visiting this country. In addi-tion to all this turkey has a cultural mix of both the East and West.Tourist come here again and again to experi-ence once in a lifetime opportunity.

It doesn't matter whether you are looking to spend holi-day with your family members or friends, holidays in Turkey can provide you an all together a complete ka-leidoscope of exciting opportunities. This is one of the few countries in the world that can offer children-friendly, eco-friendly or couple holidays to anyone wanting to experience an all different ideal break on a sun-and-sea based Mediterranean getaway. Giv-ing you excellent value for money there are many cheap hotels in various destinations of Turkey that can ultimately provide you the cheap holiday option. Besides this, the Turkish bazaars, baths and beaches are other key features that make it the ideal getaway if you are looking for more than just sea, sand and sun. So this season, if you are planning to have a trip to Turkey then there are few resorts like Fethiye, Daly-an and Altinkum that are worth to be explored at least once in your lifetime.

Fethiye - Located on the hillside of the Mount Men-dos in south west Turkey, today Fethiye is considered as a gem of Turkey's Mediterranean coast. It is a well known holiday resorts in Turkey whose awesome scenery have always pulled holidaymakers from every corner of the world frequently. Be it a romantic break, beach holiday or a cultural tour of Turkey, Fethiye is an

ideal holiday destination that has an equal mixture of all. Fethiye's dazzling beaches are undoubtedly an ide-al place for outdoor activities like surfing, sunbathing or boating. Moreover, theis beach resort even features some of the Europe's best restaurants where you may even enjoy the taste of local cuisines, traditional kebab and other international dishes. Adding to all this, the nightlife is yet another fundamental key feature of this location. In fact, the nightlife of Fethiye provides best alternatives to enjoy your evening at some of the good range of live bars and clubs.

Dalyan - In case if you are more nature friendly per-son and thinking to spend an eco-friendly holiday then Dalyan can be your most ideal option. In the country it is only in Dalyan that you can experience such colour-ful natural beauty. All this is possible in Dalyan after spending very little money. Major tourist attraction is this beach resort which is situated in the south west part of Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Though the re-gion is remarkably dry during the summer, but the area is well nourished by underwater springs that in turn help in lush vegetation and further support the Dalyan's remarkable wildlife. However, if you are a history buf-fer and like exploring different historical sites then Dalyan could be the best option. Apart from this, it has numerous other options that are worth explor-ing. And finally, once you are in Daylan, you cannot afford to miss the mouth-watering cuisines available at the local restaurants.

Altinkum - Moreover, if you are looking for more ad-venture then holiday to Altinkum resort can be the best alternatives. It provides guaranteed summer sun, spar-kling clear water and a range of good and cheap hotel accommodation. Anybody interested in History will be delighted to see large number of archaeologi-cal sites like Ephesus. Ephesus is considered next to Pompeii with regards to depiction of Roman life. Besides this, today it is counted among busy resorts that feature a good range of shops and bars and clubs that can provide you a lively nightlife. In addition to this, holidays in Altinkum couldn't be better for fam-ily beach breaks or couples looking to chill on the sands. If you are one among those who have a deep inclination towards water sports then you would really get amazed by the variety of activities that are avail-able in this place starting from snorkeling and scuba diving, wind surfing to water skiing.

With such a huge range of activities and enormous things to enjoy and watch, holidays at these resorts of Turkey can make your tour a memorable one. No matter, how different they are from one other, but each of them has something to make your trip a wonder-ful experience. Even if you spend only a short time in Turkey, you can see and do enormous variety of things ranging from water sports to mountain trekking, ar-chaeology to night-clubbing and many more. There-fore if you want to visit this place this season, you should book your package on time. Timely booking of all inclusive tour packages can make your holiday to any of these places as one of the wonderful vaca-tion experiences.

Holidays to Turkey

Beginner's Guide to Haggling in A Foreign Market When on holidays in Turkey, Morocco or Egypt, we are bound to discover something new every day as the local life is full of surprises. Women weaving carpets on the side roads, street sellers offering fruits, veg-etables, antiques, families enjoying al fresco lunches, men smoking water pipes and playing backgammon and of course, the colourful street markets. You can find everything there from local handicrafts to silk cushions, textile and leatherwear, wallets, belts, ac-cessories, carpets, silver and gold jewellery, bracelets, rings and locally produced delicacies as well as loads of souvenirs. Losing yourself in the market for a day is simply the best cultural experience you can ever imagine in any foreign country. Each country has its specifics when it comes to goods offered and the personal style of salesmen trying to sell them. On holidays in Spain or Greece, you will find that the sales people are more patient and generally let you browse through the items on offer until you have made your choice. Of course, they are most helpful if you ask them for advice, but they will not insist on purchase if you have not made your final decision. Prices are usually fixed, but you can always negotiate, especially if your purchase is larger. In oriental markets, especially in Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Arabic countries, the story is a bit different. Selling and buying is an art which takes a few lessons to master. First of all, if you expect a quiet walk and browse, forget it! Prepare yourself to be ap-proached at every stall, the salesmen will want to talk to you about everything and anything, they will try to even speak your language. They will ask about your nationality, country, family and any most direct ques-tions you can think of. And then, once you get involved in the conversation, they will start offering their goods. They will maintain eye contact to see your reactions and their pricing will very much depend on which country you come from or which hotel you are staying at on your holiday in their country. Needless to say, for a beginner in a foreign market, this can sometimes be a rather intimidating experi-ence. Here are a few useful points to remember.

1. Always look around and compare the prices before you buy.

2. If you are not interested in the goods offered, be firm but polite when saying 'No, thank you'.

3. Knowing the basics of the language of your holiday destination will always help, especially if you want to move from stall to stall faster.

4. If you are just browsing and not interested in buy-ing anything, keep avoiding the eye contact with the salesmen.

5. Once you have found the items you want to buy, start a conversation with a smile.

6. Always ask about the lowest or the 'minimum' price. If it seems too high, try to bargain it down.

7. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to enter into hag-gling with the salesmen. They expect it and they like to sell to clever buyers. It's their culture!

8. If you like the item and the price is acceptable, al-ways try to meet the salesman half way through. Do not offend them by asking unrealistic prices or bar-gaining them too low. Don't forget, this is their busi-ness and they are also trying to make the living out of it.

9. Once you have made your purchase, shake hands with the salesman. It is also customary for the sales-man to offer you tea and it is polite to accept.

10. Always be positive, smile and look at your shopping and haggling at the market as a fun experience. That way you will always be more successful at achieving the right prices and finding the right bargains to take home.

NORTH of 50 March 201014 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Okanagan nurses, Lianne Jones and Jessica Barker first traveled to Zambia in 2008 to volunteer

as nursing instructors in Mongu, Western Province Zambia. Once a middle-income country due largely to copper mining, Zambia began to slide into poverty in the 1970s when copper prices declined on world markets. Zambia's economy has been affected by the continued decline in world copper prices and the global economic crisis. High inflation, currency appreciation, debt servicing and restricted access to capital are key issues affecting Zambia's economic outlook. Western Province is one of the poorest in Zambia and has amongst the worst health outcomes in the country. It also has one of the lowest levels of literacy and education in Zambia. On their first stay, Jones and Barker worked both as lecturers and clinical instructors around the Mongu region which included supervising students in the local hospital, various government run clinics, and a UNHCR refugee camp. "The meaning of ‘Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for life’ became much clearer as our work at the School of Nursing continued. We learned that in order to create positive change our work had to be sustainable, which was why we made the decision to teach "teaching nursing"within Zambia", say the nurses. Teaching allowed them to shape the nursing practice of over 100 future Zambian nurses, in a positive way. During their initial stay they not only taught Zambian nurses, but they also enhanced the educational tools of the Zambian nursing instructors, by giving them the tools needed to create and use PowerPoint, as well as, providing nursing presentations, new textbooks, and laptops. Jones and Barker's initial motivation was to go over ‘to help’, but in the end the biggest growth came from learning they received from their Zambian colleagues. They worked hard to develop relationships and left having built solid foundations with co-workers and students.

Following their return home to the Okanagan, the nurses wanted to find a way to continue their work with Zambia and were excited when the opportunity to help form the Okanagan -Zambian Health Initiative (OkaZHI), with Dr. Bill Nelems developed. The OkaZHI Foundation soon became a bold and exciting new effort working for the enhancement of basic healthcare and health education in Zambia. Together, OkaZHI is a group of local Okanagan-based nurses, surgeons, and general practitioners with a mandate to build capacity and empower their Zambian colleagues. They have begun by offering educational opportunities for local Zambian nurses and doctors within Western Province, which is creating sustainable change for healthcare in Zambia. After helping with the creation of the organization, Lianne and Jessica's strong desire to return to Zambia found them back in Mongu in October of 2009 with a team from OkaZHI. Accompanied by doctors from the Okanagan, including Dr. Bill Nelems, Dr. Gary O’Connor, and Dr. Glynn Jones, the team brought to Western Province a course titled the ’Essential Surgical Skills Course’ created by the Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS). They ran a five-day surgical skills course for over twenty doctors, along with a complimentary nursing surgical skills course for nurses in Mongu. Both courses were very well received in the hospital community. Jessica Barker states, "The overwhelming positive response to the course demonstrated to us the need for continuing these educational opportunities for our Zambian colleagues. It has also made it clear to us the need to keep delivering more education." Currently, the nurses are back again in Mongu working on a number of different activities. Together with Fay Karp, am Associate Professor from the University of British Columbia-Okanagan, they have facilitated nursing practicums for nine nursing students at the local hospital in Mongu. The staff has warmly welcomed the students, and they are observing a wonderful cultural and

educational exchange between both parties. They are also working with their Zambian colleagues to plan for future educational opportunities with OkaZHI. In April 2010, Jessica and Lianne will be biking alongside Dr. Bill Nelems through Zambia as a fundraiser for OkaZHI’s work in Western Province. At 70 years old, local thoracic surgeon Dr. Bill Nelems seems an unlikely participant for a gruelling, 38-day, 4,500 kilometre bike trek across sub-Saharan Africa from Zambia to Capetown, South Africa. But, on April 7, Dr. Nelems will embark with the nurses upon just that, with a goal of raising $100,000. “We believe that health can only be improved in Zambia in the future if the skills and capacities of local Zambian nurses, physicians and health workers are strengthened in a sustainable way,” says Dr. Nelems as he passionately describes his vision for OkaZHI. “We believe that by building skills and enhancing educational opportunities, we not only grow capacity but we provide hope. This bike trek and the funds it will raise will help make this vision a reality.” Jessica Barker and Lianne Jones will be biking part of the trek through Zambia. With purchased bikes from a local company called ZamBikes, the RNs are continuing the bike training that they started while in Canada. All funds raised will go directly to health education within Western Province, and to the people with whom they have developed significant and meaningful relationships. By bringing nurses, general practitioners and surgeons together, Okanagan Zambia Health Initiative is crossing disciplines to provide a comprehensive curriculum and hands-on training for Zambian health care workers. Teams of medical experts are joining forces in growing numbers, including local GP and Chair of OkaZHI Dr. Linda Hawker, and founding member of OkaZHI, Joan Bassett-Smith (Professor of Nursing at UBCO). As one can imagine, transportation to and from Africa for teams of medical staff as well as the purchase and delivery of much-needed supplies is costly. With the start of Dr. Nelems’ African-bike trek now less than two months away, the heat is on to drive both private and public donations, as well as to recruit new, passionate volunteers with an interest in health education. To donate or learn more visit www.okazhi.org.

BC Nurses and Doctors Aid in Zambia

Lianne Jones and Jessica Barker. Photo submitted from OkaZHI.

Children in Zambia. Photo submitted from OkaZHI.

NORTH of 50 March 2010 15Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Health Matters

Health Canada is advising Canadians that natural health products containing the in-gredient glucomannan in tablet, capsule or powder form, which are currently on the Canadian market, have a potential for harm if taken without at least 8 ounces of water or other fluid. The risk to Canadians includes choking and/or blockage of the throat, esophagus or intestine, according to international adverse reaction case reports. It is also important to note that these products should NOT be taken immediately before going to bed.For more information, please visit:http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/me-dia/advisories-avis/_2010/2010_16-eng.php

Health Canada is advising consumers not to use any unauthorized health products sold under the brand names Natural Choice Vitamin B-17, Natural Choice Kava Kava and Natural Choice Lithium Orotate. These unauthorized health products have a similar identifying image on their label. Consumers should note that the above-men-tioned products may also be available under the brand names Life Choice, Doctor’s Choice, Your Choice and Healthy Choice as these products have been marketed un-der a variety of brand names.For more information, please visit:http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2010/2010_15-eng.php

Score 'strong' in Immunity

Approximately eight out of 10 women world-wide say their number one health con-cern is protecting their wellbeing. Yet, this new international women's study also reveals only half are aware that 70 per cent of the immune system resides in the intestines, a figure that drops to one in three for Canadian women. “More and more Canadians are striving to live a healthier lifestyle, but may not understand the link between good digestive health and a healthy immune system, says Dr. Jennifer Malcolm, family physician. But there is good news – even small lifestyle changes can keep our digestive system running smoothly, which in turn boosts immunity.” Looking to improve your immunity IQ? Dr. Malcolm recommends these quick and easy tips:

• Eat your fruits and veggies: Data reveals Canadian women want to eat healthy, but despite best efforts, have difficulty doing so. While daily servings of fruits and vegetables help keep the immune system strong, fitting these essential nutrients into our diet isn't always easy. Try keeping a stash of frozen vegetables on hand to toss into soups or salads, or splurge on pre-washed, pre-cut fruits and veggies for an easy dinner side dish. Feeling adventurous? Substitute avocado for butter or margarine as a healthy, but delicious spread.

• Don't wait for cold season: Five out of 10 Canadian women take multivitamins daily, and multivitamin use climbs to 59 per cent during cold and flu season. Newer innovations on the market, such as Multibionta, contain multiple benefits such as probiotics and essential vitamins and minerals in one daily, easy-to-swallow caplet. New to Canada, this new probiotic multivitamin is also clinically proven to reduce the duration of a cold by up to two days and the severity of cold symptoms.

• Stay active: North American women lead the pack in wanting more energy. And, Canadian women (69%) are more likely to work physical activity into their day, un-derstanding exercise helps keep the immune system strong and healthy. So whether it's playing with your kids, taking the stairs or parking a few blocks away from work, try to get moving at least 30 minutes a day. Regular exercise also reduces stress – another reason to keep moving.

• Sleep more: Sleep contributes to the health of our immune system, and 65 per cent of Canadian women agree extra sleep can make them feel more revitalized. Having difficulty sleeping? Take some time to unwind before you sleep and try getting up at the same time every day to set your internal clock. www.newscanada.com

Spring Is Here and So Is Allergy Season Spring is synonymous with many things. The return of baseball. The smell of fresh-ly cut grass. Warmer weather. While many things we associate with spring give us good feelings, the dreaded return of allergy season is another thing that comes to mind when thoughts turn to spring. Sniffles, sneezing and general discomfort are all too common even for those with relatively mild allergies. Though allergies might be a nuisance, they don't nec-essarily have to be much more than that.

What Is an Allergy? An allergy is an abnormal response of the immune system that occurs when the immune system reacts to a usually harmless substance present in the environment. The substance is known as an allergen and, upon exposure, the body feels this sub-stance is dangerous, releasing chemicals like histamine to protect itself. That release can result in sneezing, red and itchy eyes, rashes, or a runny nose, among other things. The body's response is an allergic reaction. One very different allergic reaction is anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening response that requires immediate medical attention. Anaphylaxis is a whole-body reaction, one that can include hives and itching all over the body, wheezing or short-ness of breath, tightness or hoarseness in the throat, and even tingling feelings in the hands, lips, feet, or scalp.

What Might I Be Allergic To?A visit to the local allergist is always a good idea to determine what you might be allergic to. But keep in mind some of the more common things both kids and adults are allergic to: dust mites, feathers, pollen, dairy, pet dander While things like pet dander and dairy aren't exclusive to spring, dust and pollen tend to be more prevalent and problematic throughout the spring season.

Won't I Outgrow My Allergy?According to the Allergy & Asthma Network, ongoing research indicates that food allergies are persisting longer into childhood. One study highlighted in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in late 2007 followed the progress of more than 800 children with milk allergy. In that study, only 1 out of 5 children outgrew milk allergy by age 4, and less than 50 percent had outgrown milk allergy by age 8. By age 16, nearly 80 percent had outgrown milk allergy. While this might be encouraging for parents of children with milk allergies, no two allergies are the same. Peanut allergy, for instance, does not necessarily disap-pear or weaken as a person gets older. So while it appears possible to outgrown an allergy, it's certainly not a guarantee, and those diagnosed with a given allergy should continue to consult with their physician.

What Triggers My Allergy?A host of preventable factors can trigger an allergy.* Pets. Those with an allergy to pet dander can avoid visiting friends or family mem-bers with pets. If that's not an option or if you have pets of your own, keep them out of the bedroom or off the furniture.

* Dust. Dust allergies are common, and the best way to combat them is to keep a clean house. Place pillows in the dryer, wash sheets in hot water, use dust mite cov-ers on mattresses and furniture, and vacuum regularly. Sweeping might help pick up random debris, but it's not effective on its own when fighting dust, as it will simply move the dust around the room.

* Mold. Many people are allergic to mold, and one can prevent exposure to this al-lergen by using a dehumidifier in damp areas, such as the basement, and running the bathroom or shower fan for up to 15 minutes after bathing.

NORTH of 50 March 201016 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

NEW IN THEATRES - from the producersTHE BOOK SHELFfrom the publishers

BROOKLYN'S FINEST March 5, 2010Burned out veteran Eddie Dugan (Richard Gere) is just one week away from his pension and a fishing cabin in Connecticut. Narcotics officer Sal Procida (Ethan Hawke) has dis-covered there’s no line he won’t cross to provide a better life for his long-suffering wife and seven children. And Clarence “Tango” Butler (Don Cheadle) has been undercover so long his loyalties have started to shift from his fellow police officers to his prison buddy Caz (Wesley Snipes), one of Brooklyn’s most infamous drug dealers. With per-sonal and work pressures bearing down on them, each man faces daily tests of judgment and honor in one of the world’s most difficult jobs. When NYPD’s Operation Clean Up targets the notoriously drug-ridden BK housing project, all three officers find themselves swept away by the violence and corruption of Brooklyn’s gritty 65th Precinct and its most treacherous criminals. During seven fateful days, Eddie, Sal and Tango find them-selves hurtling inextricably toward the same fatal crime scene and a shattering collision with destiny.

GREENBERG March 26, 2010Florence Marr (Greta Gerwig), an aspiring singer, is struggling to find her place in the world. She works as a personal assistant to the Greenberg family, beginning and ending each day tending to other people’s needs. In sharp contrast to the Green-bergs’ bustling life in their elegant Hollywood Hills home, Florence lives alone in a tiny studio apartment and sings at open-mike nights. When Phillip Greenberg (Chris Messina) takes his wife and children on an extended trip abroad, Florence is sud-denly left more to her own devices. She makes the occasional visit to their home to check up on the family’s dog Mahler, and look in on Phillip’s brother Roger (Ben Stiller), who has come to L.A. to housesit. Single and fortyish, Greenberg is intel-ligent, witty, sharp-tongued – and, like Florence, something of a lost soul; he is at a crossroads in his life. He has been working as a carpenter in New York after an early career as a musician in L.A. petered out. His vulnerability immediately endears him to Florence, who helps him navigate Los Angeles and take care of Mahler. What begins as a courtesy to her employer develops into a charmingly eccentric and un-expectedly significant connection.

LOUSY EXPLORERS0-88971-230-1 Nightwood Editions 5.25 x 7.5 · 80 pages Paperback · $17.95 May 2009

In this collection, husbands and wives stumble into each other at the end of days, children find the wild edges of suburbs, new mothers try to navigate through a map-less terrain, and a relentless epidemic of bugs eats away at the forest. The collection explores new territory, both physically and emotionally—relocation, the north, new marriage and motherhood—in a way that is honest, raw and insightful.

Novelist and poet Laisha Rosnau is UBC O’s third an-nual writer-in-residence. Sponsored by the Department of Creative Studies, this program allows 16 selected local writers to get free critiques on their work.

Public reading will be Thursday, March 4, 7 PM at the Downtown Kelowna Branch of the Okanagan Region-al Library, 1380 Ellis Street.

MOVIES & BOOKS

IRISH RHAPSODYMarch 13 & 14, 2010Saturday 7:30 pm, Sagebrush TheatreSunday 2:00 pm, Salmon Arm Recreation CentreIrish tunes, Irish composers, Irish musical joie de vivre, plus songs of Newfoundland by iconic Canadian composer Howard Cable. You might need a “drop of the finest” after this per-formance. The Kamloops Symphony presents Irish Rhapsody on Saturday, March 13 at 7:30 pm at Sagebrush Theatre. You don't have to be Irish to appreciate this programme of rhythmi-cally infectious and melodically beautiful music from Ireland, Newfoundland and Kamloops. Kamloops' own Music Director Bruce Dunn has a particular fondness for all things Irish and

wrote an orchestral suite based on Irish songs, Songs of the Shamrock in 2006. The suite was first per-formed in Limerick, Ireland and received the Irish audience's stamp of approval.

Guest Artist Soprano Ingrid Attrot has been hailed as a "singer with uncommon theatrical sensibility and musical intelligence."

MUSIC

NORTH of 50 March 2010 17Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

7 3 22 8 4 1

2 74 3 6 5

1 89 3 7 46 48 7 3 5

3 4 1

SUDOKUEach Sudoku puzzle is a 9 by 9 grid of horizontal and vertical rows evenly separated into 9 squares with 9 spaces each. Each puzzles solution is determined by the pattern of the numbers already filled in. You solve the puzzle by filling in the missing digits so that, when completed, each row and each square will have all numbers from1 to 9: each number will appear in exactly nine spaces within each puzzle.Sudoku solution on page 18

Find the words in the grid. When you are done, the unused letters spell out a hidden message. Words can go left or right, top line to bottom line. Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions. Answers to puzzle is on page 18.

Word Search &Crosswords MARVELOUS

MARCHPARHCRAMLIFEBIRDS

USPATRICKHTVANIAR

YDDAPSPISCESSLEIE

xONIUqEIRREFUCWCH

TESIGCRENSRCAHAOY

SSNDJIRABEKqMARLA

TPDOUOLOSYUYIRMOC

ECBUTBNHCAPASMTRI

LALMPSYqMUTDSAHNN

OBOEPSHAUHSIGSIYT

IIOLIURTGIALNSENH

VNDTAIDIRLLOITBDT

NFSDNMLDIIKHVOLOI

EETEUYBOLABNAOOUA

EVONAMNOEEUNSHORR

RENDGNIRPSSDLSMHT

GREGGNBUMARDIGRAS

aquamarinebeesbirdsbirthstonebloodstonebloombreakbudscabin fevercharmcolorcrocusdaylighteggequinoxfreshgreenholidayhyacinthidesIrishjonquillamblifelionlucky

marchmardi grasmeltmudPaddyPatrickpiscespuddlesrainsaintsavingsshootsspringspudssunvernalvioletswarmth

ACROSS1 High naval rank (abbr.)4 Drains strength8 Waistband12 Bashful13 Catch14 Three15 Charged Particle16 Ethereal17 Fats18 Joe Friday’s show20 River in Idaho21 Spots

22 Bullfight cheer23 Autumn26 Cash with order (abr.)27 United Parcel Service30 Drawbacks34 Sum35 Decompose36 Melt37 Pain unit38 River (Spanish)40 Music type43 _______ shorts47 Organization of Petroleum

Exporting Countries48 Very large truck49 Steal50 Scallion51 Car rental agency52 Take to court53 Fewer54 Fable55 Creative work

DOWN1 Bad rain2 Portal3 Asian bird4 Group of trees5 Sign of the zodiac6 Split up7 Observe secretly8 Rock9 Opera solo10 ______ worm11 garden ______19 Festive20 Coin machine22 Possess23 Food and drug adminis-tration (abbr.)24 Assist25 Acid26 Tiger27 Good grief!28 _____ fowl29 Compass point31 earing type32 Volume (abbr.)33 Particle37 cuts pay

38 Make a payment39 Luck o' the __40 Seed pod41 Fencing sword42 Honey makers43 Gathering44 __ Major (Big Dipper)45 Glum46 To incite48 Surface to air missile

NORTH of 50 March 201018 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

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British Sweets, jewelry, glassware, special occassion gifts, handbags&

pashminas, games & puzzles, toys,

baby items, specialty chocolates.

Heritage Creek Gifts & Confectionary

2516 Patterson Ave. Armstrong!

(250) 546-3096

1 6 4 5 7 3 2 9 85 7 9 6 2 8 4 3 13 2 8 9 4 1 5 6 74 3 6 7 8 9 1 2 57 1 5 2 3 4 6 8 99 8 2 1 6 5 3 7 46 5 1 8 9 2 7 4 38 4 7 3 5 6 9 1 22 9 3 4 1 7 8 5 6

Word Search Solution:Marvelous March

Bai-le Accordian in case $75.00. Parts and 3 new springs for Antique Grammophone $50.00 each O.B.O. Phone 250-495-7372

Little girl's white desk, chair & night table, excellent condition, $65. Phone: 250-549-1798

1 standard model 80"L x 35"W Pressure Guard CFT (Constant Force Technology) Air Mattress. This mattress is for those persons who are bedridden and may suffer from injuries from a regular mattress. The mattress cost $1,200.00 US three years ago and was used for six months. It was very comfortable after having hip surgery. Asking price is $500.00. For more information please call 250-546-9991

11 imitations Olympic medals from 1896 Athens to 1968 Mexico. Exc, condition. Best offer. 250-979-4315

Four long guns, shotguns, rifle. Some like new. $75 -$200. 1 8ft Truck Box Liner. Fits 2000 Chev, Ford, Dodge, $50. 250.838.5980

5 horse rototiller and 3 horse rototiller both in good running condition $130.00 each Wanted - Snowblower for parts any brand Call 250-492-8501 any time

Self propelled Troybuilt mulching lawnmower, $100 250-492-8501

Sony Mavica Digital Camera $35, Pentax Optio 30 Digitial Camera, $45, Homeline Microwave (Manual inc.) $25, MTC Microwave (Manual inc.) $30, Slow cooker $10 250-769-7735 or 250-769-3672

Wanted: Wheel chair lift for older GMC van, 250-766-9925

Quad cane, chrome, adjustable, $30, Ladies Tap Shoes, 2" heel,

straps 7 1/2, $25. Ladies Bowling Shoes, navy blue, 8, with bag, good conditions, $15 250-498-0454

X-country skis waxable, Bonna 195 cm $15, plus boots size 39 cm (7.5 to 8 ladies) $15. Pneumatic knee high walker boot, medium, for support post surgery foot/ankle procedures $60. 250-549-2714.

Farm fresh free range eggs for sale - $2.50 per dozen (250) 546-9519

Weslo treadmill, folding, electric, $260, Tony Little Ab Lounger, complete with DVD & warranty, $95Black Cherry sideboard for dining room, $200 Ashley Furniture round coffee table 40" diameter, wood, 4 drawers, $149Folding Table 30 x 60", $30, Camping equipment, Coleman sleeping bag, camping cot with air mattress & pump, folding chair - offers. (250) 554-0377 Kamloops

CCM Pirouette Skates Sz 7, White $25.00, Pink Grad Gown 3/4 L w/Gloves $30.00, Solid Cedar Chest $150, Burn Etched Logging Picture 25x30 in. $130.00Ph: (250) 768-3671

7 LGE Wrebbet 3D Puzzles each $k7.00 / All for $40,Christmas Lites Approx. 400 House Eave Blue, Misc All $25 obo,Retro Platform Rocker Gold Cover $50, Ph: (250) 768-3671 Westbank Photo Copier - Black & White Mita DC 3060 Automatic document feeder with a duplexer and sorter. 8.5 x 11 and 8.5 x 14 paper trays. Regularly serviced under a maintenance agreement. Great working condition. Priced to sell at $900.00 Armstrong, BC 250.546.8910

Rock Chucker Master. Reloading Kit. Brand New! $400. Revelstoke. Never Used. 403.836.9908

Soloflex Home Gym. Used once. Includes Butterfly and Leg extension attachments. Plus two weight strap sets. $1000. Revelstoke. 837-3741

Wanted:low mileage import vehicle for son at University 250-859-3640

NORTH of 50 March 2010 19Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

Budget Cliff Driving: Hit the Brakes!If your car goes off the road and is speeding towards a cliff, simply tak-ing your foot off the accelerator isn’t good enough. You need to put on the brakes, stop and carefully make your way back to safety. Deficit spending by governments in Canada is no different. Unfortunately, Prime Minister Harper has promised only to slow the rate of growth of spending – this year creating a record deficit of $56 billion. This approach will take us off a financial cliff if real efforts don’t start now. As we move towards the next federal budget, many proponents of larger and more costly government have been using the recent recession gleefully to call for even greater government expansion. The President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) argues the federal government should increase spending at even higher rates. Perhaps this is no surprise given their website brags that the union has over 600,000 public sector employees as members. The same calls occur every recession. Grow government and all will be well. Liberal Senators are calling for an increase in the GST back to 7 per cent to give more money to the RCMP. Corporate CEOs, led by TD Bank’s Ed Clark, are calling for a GST hike to help balance the budget. One Liberal MP is calling for a GST hike to give more money to cities. All these calls for tax hikes are predicated on the false impression that Ottawa doesn’t have enough money already. If increased government spending created jobs, every Canadian would have two. Canada’s economic challenges are worsened by the large and growing size of government. There are too many programs, employing too many people who, generally, get paid too well (when you include pay and lavish pensions). According to Statistics Canada there are 3.5 million Canadians employed in the public sector out of 16.9 million working Canadians – 20.7 per cent! This means one in five working Canadians are employed by the public sector. These jobs are funded from the taxes paid by the other 80 per cent of Cana-dians working in the private sector. This has been a worsening condition over the past 40 years. In an inflation-adjusted comparison, the federal government spends 360 per cent more today than it did 40 years ago. In 1969, program spending was $12.9 billion - $75 billion adjusted to 2009 dollars. It has exploded to $273 billion in 2009-10. If spending had grown at the same rate as population and inflation, it would only stand around $150 billion today. Not only are today’s taxes paying for this large government spending but debt financing means future taxpayers also will pay later. The federal govern-ment debt in 1969 adjusted to 2009 was $111 billion. Today is has surpassed the $514 billion mark, growing by $1 billion every 6.5 days. Simply put, desire for increased government intervention has grown a larger government funded by high taxes and a huge and growing debt – spend now, pay later. As the next federal budget looms, the federal government is sending mixed signals on what Canadians should expect. On one hand, Treasury Board Min-ister Stockwell Day was appointed to undertake plans for a spending review. He is making the rounds seeking input on this. Media are dutifully reporting this message of austerity. Yet, on the other hand, Finance Minister Flaherty continues to ensure those who love big spending that this budget will provide ‘son of stimulus;’ year two of the government’s stimulus program, drizzling cash on everything from snowmobile trails to parties and parades. Last year spending was $239 billion. This year it grew by 14 per cent to $273 billion. It is planned to increase again next year to $278 billion. Only a public sector union president would consider this level of spending growth a demonstration of ‘austerity.’ What the government needs to do to get things back in order is to scrap

plans for further stimulus spending. Instead, Mr. Harper should push forward Minister Day’s reductions plans. Spending should be rolled back to 2008 levels and the massive debt that has been generated should be paid down.

It is through this kind of an approach of reduced spending that Canadians will experience greater prosperity, not by mortgaging the future to create yet more government jobs.

NORTH of 50 March 201020 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

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