This week’s column is dedicated to Dan (Blackie) Code, who passed away Sept. 29. I will miss seeing him in the same seat every Sunday morning for breakfast at Mickie’s Pub with all his friends. Personal condolences to his family and many enthusiastic motor cycle friends.
Thanks a million Kelowna! You did it again. In just over three hours, we raised more than $37,000—and the donations are still coming in—for the 15th annual Maxine DeHart, United Way-Ramada Hotel Drive-Thru Breakfast.
My personal thanks to all the sponsors, RCMP traffic section, auxiliary constables, City of Kelowna bylaw officers, volunteers, media, mascots, and everyone else who helped make this event a huge success. The tremendous amount of support from you, the community, is nothing less than overwhelming. Thanks to all the Ramada staff including conference manager Sergio Cunial, maintenance manager Doug Mills and his staff, banquet manager Cindy Atkinson and the banquet staff, senior bellman Bryan Miller and the bell staff and general manager Stan Martindale. Special thanks to Erwin Egert, of Carts Plus, for the use of a golf cart each year and especially this year with my right arm in a sling. It was truly a life-saver. And thanks as well to Dave MacLean, of MacLean Group.
All sponsors and contributing businesses will be formally thanked and listed in a special Thank You in the Capital News. All money raised will stay right here in our community to help the agencies of the United Way.
Congratulations to the following grand prize winners: Rolli Cacchioni, trip to Vancouver for two with overnight stay at the Best West Sands (sponsored by Thom & Associates); Tom Taylor, WestJet flight (sponsored by WestJet); Jolene Meyer, leather office chair (sponsored by Heritage Office Furnishings); Eve Gabor, $500 shopping spree (sponsored by Rutland and Glenmore MarketPlace IGA); Shelley Van Dulken, Samsung Galaxy II Tablet (sponsored by Progressive Waster/BFI Canada); Elizabeth Alston, $150 gift certificate for window washing (sponsored by Sun Valley Window Cleaners); Paul Orbeck, seven nights stay for two at ESJ Towers in San Juan, Puerto Rico (sponsored by ESJ Towers and Terry Balfour, a former Kelowna resident); Silyna Lavergne, Kobo VOX eReader (sponsored by RPX Logistics-Neil Saunders); Lorraine Cameron, gift basket (sponsored by Webber Naturals and London Drugs); Brenda Campbell, gift basket (sponsored by Sleep Country); Kaleb Emond, Sue Paull, Beryl Froehler and Jennifer Marte, cameras (sponsored by Okanagan Strata Management). The winner of the Shut Out Sports Collectibles framed autographed print, sponsored by Alex Draper, was Twyla Kennedy—a great deal for a Toonie, eh! There still are a few grand prizes that have not been claimed. Check your bag carefully, you may be a winner.
If you would like your Alex Fong prints autographed, Fong will be available for signing them on Thursday, Oct. 18, from 3 to 7 p.m., at Picture Perfect, 339 Bernard Ave., owned and operated by sponsor Linda Winnick. Bring along your Woodcreek Cottage coupons as Picture Perfect, Perpetual Blooms and Woodcreek Cottage is under one roof and you can do some shopping while you are there.
Speaking of Alex Fong, his Night and Day workshop is Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3 and 4, at the Central Okanagan Sailing Association 4220 Hobson Rd. This is two full days filled with demos, one-on-one instruction and finished with gorgeous food and fine wine. Fong will also be showing his artworks at the Rotary Centre of the Arts in the Alex Fong Galleria, presenting a series entitled Decade for their 10th anniversary on Nov. 2. Call 250-878-7054 or info@alexfong.com to register for the workshop.
The Dollar Tree, a Canadian company, has just opened at Unit 3-1455 Harvey Ave. in the Orchard Garden Plaza (the former Block Buster location behind Buffet King Restaurant). The 5,000 square foot premise is fully stocked and open seven days a week.
Congrats to Wayne and Carol Lockhart, Lloyd and Betsy Lockhart, Salim Ahmed and Patrick Clancy of Choice’s Market, who were awarded the prestigious National Gold Award for Top Independent Grocer of the Year—Specialty Category from the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers at the federation’s 50th annual awards ceremony in Toronto. Choice’s does not only provide a wide variety of health and wellness products, but the store continues to be relentlessly local. Each of the competing stores is visited by a retail management expert who evaluates the stores based on retailing excellence and innovation, store team performance, customer service, space utilization, freshness and cleanliness.
Calona Wines, now owned and operated by Andrew Peller of Ontario, celebrates the winery’s 80th anniversary this week. Calona Wines the Okanagan’s first winery and through many expansions has created the prestigious Sandhill label and has also acquired the Red Rooster winery in Naramata. Howard Soon is the well-known long-time winemaker at Calona Wines.
The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce has announced that Nancy Cameron, president and CEO of Tourism Kelowna, is the recipient of the 2012 Business Leader of the Year Award. The award will be presented to Cameron at the 25th Annual Business Excellence Awards on Oct. 17 at The Delta Grand. Platinum sponsors for the banquet are the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP. Recipients of awards in six other categories will also be honoured at the dinner.
To support Downtown Kelowna while the construction is taking place, Small Shop Saturday is this Saturday, Oct. 13, with free on-street parking. Posted time restrictions still remain in effect.
Ingrid Dilschneider, director of sales and marketing at Predator Ridge Golf Community, is the new president of the Vernon Chamber of Commerce. Adrian Johnson, of KPMG, is the first vice-president.
The Okanagan Mission Rotary Club will host the Wild West Trivia Night on Oct.26, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Okanagan Mission Hall. For only $40 per person, you will have a ton of fun along with a chuck wagon style dinner, silent auction round-up and themed trivia rounds. For all trivia buffs or for people who just want to have a great night out with some trivia fun, call Sandra Mimic for tickets at 250-317-7826 or any Okanagan Mission Rotarian including my husband Chris DeHart at 250-878-9909. Western costumes welcome.
Campion Marine, at 200 Campion Rd., is now building Biltmore Fibertoon boats. Biltmore is a pontoon boat (patio boat) and is like no other boat in the marine market as it has a tri-pontoon hull for extra stability and a smoother ride. The norm is a dual pontoon boat. The patio boat is getting increasingly popular in the marine industry with a luxury interior and barbecue options just like on your patio. Call 250-765-7795.
The Y will always be the Y to many of us, but the YMCA-YWCA of the Central Okanagan has a new official name—YMCA of Okanagan. The new name was approved by Y members at a special meeting held Oct. 3. It follows the decision of YMCA board to voluntarily withdraw the charity’s membership in YWCA Canada. Ron Stewardson is the board chair, rstewardson@ymca-ywca.com, and Sharon Peterson is the chief executive officer, speterson@ymca-ywca.com.
Kelowna Junior Chamber International (JCI) member Jason Ranchoux has been elected the 78th JCI Canada National President for 2013. Paul Clissold, of Kelowna, previously held the position. Joining Jason on the board is locl resident Jennifer Sencar.
Ed Laverock is the new operations manager of the Canadian Diabetes Association clothesline program in the Okanagan Valley, based out of 102-1054 Ellis St. The clothesline program provides a convenient and environmentally friendly way for people to donate their gently used clothing, small household items and electronics. In 2011, Clothesline diverted more than 46 million kilograms of items from landfills. You can visit diabetes.ca/promise or call 250-868-2077 locally to schedule a free pick-up of the above items. Also, if you bag it, donate it you might have a chance to win it! Donate to the clothesline initiative by Nov. 30 and you could win a dream family getaway to Walt Disney World. Go to diabetes.ca/trip—it’s a win-win situation.
It’s the 10th anniversary for Freedom’s Door, and to celebrate they will serve up a wonderful meal followed by real life stories of hope, encouragement and inspiration on Friday, Oct. 19, at Emmanuel Church, 2600 Hebert Rd., in West Kelowna. Advance tickets only at Freedom’s Door, Porter Ramsay LLP, Paynters Fruit Market, Loaves & Fishes, Bell Tower Books and Emmanuel Church. Call 250-717-0472 for more info.
Table rentals are available for the First United Church Craft Sale featuring local crafters, lunch and bake table on Saturday, Nov. 24, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call Linda at 250-717-1018.
Orders are now being taken for the 16th annual Pie Sale by the First Lutheran Christian School until Oct. 16 through students at the school, online at the school’s website at www.flcs.ca, by emailing flcs.kelowna@gmail.com, at the school office at 4091 Lakeshore Road. Pies are $8 each or five pies for $35. Last year they rolled out 2,500 fabulous home-made pies. The fundraiser helps support important programs in the school and this year they are donating 10 per cent of proceeds to the Kelowna Gospel Mission.
Birthdays of the week: Happy 30th Cecilia Jans, At Your Fingertips (Oct. 12); Irene Morrison (Oct. 11); Diana Warnock, my sister-in-law (Oct 12); Lil Noble (Oct. 12); Derek Bottomley, (Oct. 11); Mac Leitch (Oct. 14).
Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546, fax 250-860-3173, email maxdehart@telus.net .
