Andrea O’Sullivan was the winner in the Chantal Kreviazuk photo contest sponsored by TELUS and product distributor Tom Harris.
O’Sullivan was randomly picked from all of the photos posted on Twitter from the Kreviazuk concert and won a 32 G iPhone 5s. TELUS and Tom Harris have sponsored the summer concert series for many years. The next chance to win will be Sept. 25 at the Barenaked Ladies concert at Cedar Creek Winery.
The City of Kelowna has won the International Association of Business Communicator’s Gold Quill of Excellence Award for its community engagement initiatives behind the Bernard Avenue revitalization project. The Gold Quill Award recognizes and fosters excellence in the field of business communications.
Navjot Takhar was Miss Kelowna Lady of the Lake in 2012. Now she has the unique opportunity to represent Kelowna on a provincial scale in the B.C. Ambassador Program, an opportunity only for previous title holders. The program’s mandate is to nurture provincial leaders of the future, promote post-secondary education and forge links of friendship and understanding throughout B.C. communities. This is all done through dedication to volunteer work. Support Nav in her efforts by giving her Facebook page a “like”: Navjot Takhar British Columbia Ambassador Candidate 2014 or Vote for her online for the People’s Choice Award daily until Aug. 16 at www.bcambassador.com/peoples-choice-2014. I have already ‘liked’ and voted for Nav. She is a lovely young lady. Good luck.
One of the region’s entrepreneurial success stories is going to be adding to his curricula vitae with a new and challenging assignment for the coming year. Dave Krysko has accepted the role of entrepreneur-in-residence at Okanagan College. Krysko was one of the founders of Club Penguin; an Okanagan success story that attracted the attention of Walt Disney Company and which now employs hundreds of people. His role as entrepreneur-in-residence will be to offer occasional guest lectures, provide one-on-one and group mentoring and generally encourage students with his story as an entrepreneur.
Tourism Kelowna has been awarded accreditation from the Destination Accreditation Program, an internally recognized program developed by Washington, D.C.-based Destination Marketing International. Nancy Cameron is the CEO of Tourism Kelowna.
Jennifer Kozma, formerly of Untouchables, is the new esthetician/nail technician at Defy Hair and Esthetics, located in the Plaza 33 Shopping Centre in Rutland. Kozma is proficient in all types of esthetician procedures, including massage. Call 250-807-2296; online defyhairsalon.com.
Wings Tap & Grill has just opened in the Willow Park Shopping Centre in Rutland. Owned and operated by Bruce and Diane Thomas, the restaurant serves a little bit of everything. Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call 250-862-8629.
How time flies. Enterprise Flower Studio, 2009A Enterprise Way, owned and operated by Zena and Kevin Tucker are celebrating their eighth year in business this month. Call 250-868-3880; online info@enterpriseflowerstudio.com.
Don’t miss the 25th annual Block Party hosted by The Downtown Kelowna Association and presented by Interior Savings Credit Union on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Block Party will close down Bernard Avenue from Richter Street to The Sails, and the area will be filled with vendors, entertainment and three musical stages. Each block will be an adventure and give the public a wonderful experience. 101-5 EZE Rock and 99.9 SUN FM will also be on hand. There will be dog and children’s activities, along with music, live acts and much more. See you there. Call 250-862-3515; online info@downtownkelowna.com.
The Go Foodism/Gatzke Orchard Dinner Series (15690 Pelmewash Parkway in Lake Country) will host award winning chefs in an outdoor, roaming, signature four-course dinner series takes place on an orchard by the lake. The next event is Sunday, Aug. 31, from 4 to 7 p.m. Popular chef Travel Hackl will create gourmet items combined with the abundant fresh, natural valley ingredients. Wine tastings will be provided by 50th Parallel Winery. Tickets $69. Call 1-250-307-3713; email go@gatzkeorchard.com; onlinegatzkeorchard.com.
Linda Noakes, owner/operator of Westside Tutor, has just moved into a new building to facilitate her learning centre. The new location is 104-1680 Ross Rd. She has clients that range in age from age four to 56, some of whom have decided to return to school and need to learn how to study again or need help with their career portfolios. Noakes has a very friendly dog that welcomes people and is wonderful with the autistic children who come through her doors. She is a former principal and teacher who has been helping kids learn for many years, starting out in the basement of her house. Her daughter Stephanie Noakes has a store right next to Linda’s at 101-1680 Ross Rd., where she manages the Discover Tree Child Development Centre. Contact Linda at 250-769-7841 or lgnoakes@shaw.ca. Contact Stephanie at 250-769-1601.
Speaking of the Westside, the 13th Annual Key Business Awards, presented by the Greater Westside Board of Trade, recognize businesses, organization and individuals who have achieved excellence in the community through their own abilities, efforts and initiatives. All greater Westside businesses are eligible. The nomination deadline is Aug. 15. Northside Industries was the 2013 Business of the Year and Large Business Award winner.
The Okanagan Military Museum has opened a new exhibit in honour of WW1 called “Kelowna Museums WW1: The Bugle Sounds.” Last weekend marked the centennial of the start of Canada’s participation in the First World War. This exhibit will be open to the public for the rest of this summer. The Okanagan Military Museum is open Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the Memorial Arena, 1424 Ellis St. For more info call Keith Boehmer at 250-763-9292.
The Kelowna Golf and Country Club will host a car show on Sunday, Aug. 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. You will see all kinds of fancy cars and enjoy a live band. This event is open to the public and you can even enjoy lunch.
This year marks the 30th anniversary for the Kelowna & District Genealogical Society. With over 130 active members, the KDGS, a charitable non-profit society, is one of the largest and oldest genealogy societies in B.C. Besides helping their members to discover their family history, the KDGS has been instrumental in preserving the Central Okanagan family history. The society’s excellent Genealogy Reference Library is housed in the downtown Kelowna Okanagan Regional Library branch. Every two years, since 1996, the society has convened Western Canada’s largest genealogy conference, which will be held this year Sept. 26 to 28 at Okanagan College, with more than 200 registrants expected from all over Western Canada, Washington State and beyond. Eight world-renowned speakers are coming from as far as Australia, Rhode Island and Salt Lake City. Registration forms are available online at www.kdgs.ca. In conjunction with the conference, there will be a large marketplace of vendors, exhibitors and many other features and events. For more info on meetings, the conference, programs and library call Marie at 250-763-7159 or visit www.kdgs.
ArtWalk 2014 presents Jim Byrnes, 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 6, at Creekside Theatre in Lake Country. Byrnes has been on the blues highway for 45 years. Tickets $25. Seating is limited so reserve early online at www.creeksidetheatre.com.
Canadian national swimming team newcomer Kierra Smith (our neighbour) made another big splash in her senior international debut this past weekend at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Kierra came home with a bronze medal in the women’s 4x100m medley relay. Her next swim meet will take her to Brisbane, Australia, later this month.
Mark this on your calendar: The Back to School Bash hosted by Victory Life Fellowship is on Saturday, Aug. 23, at the Parkinson Recreation Centre, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. To volunteer call 250-862-3044; email VLF@shaw.ca.
Here’s some interesting trivia and a phenomenon that you will only see once in your life. The month of August this year will have five Fridays, five Saturdays and five Sundays. This happens only once every 823 years. The Chinese call it “Silver pockets full,” based on Chinese Feng Shui.
Birthdays of the week: Happy 101 Carmela Panusa, Mamma Rosa Restaurant (Aug. 12); happy 60th Tom Matthews (Aug. 9); Gary Bennett (Aug. 8); Peter Schultz (Aug. 8); Hugh Feagan (Aug. 8); Willy Burgess (Aug.12); Craig Hostland, Pillar to Post (Aug. 12); Kali Howden, At Your Fingertips (Aug. 13); Steven Tuck (Aug. 9); Tim Krupa (Aug.12); Abby Sones (Aug.13).
Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna city councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546, fax 250-860-3173, email maxdehart@telus.net
