Well-known businessman and retired general manager of Global Okanagan, Dennis Gabelhouse, has been busy with the expansion of a new marketing agency.
It’s called CREW Marketing Partners, located at 302-1353 Ellis St. in downtown Kelowna. Formerly Relevention, CREW expanded its Abbotsford operation, opening a second office in Kelowna last year. Partner Josh Cairns relocated here from Toronto and, in partnership with Gabelhouse, has found success helping organizations succeed. The company acts like your in-house marketing crew, leading with everything from strategy and branding, right through to daily execution and measured results. The new name is actually an acronym of their core values of character, relationships, execution and the wow factor. Their team now has over 30 staff with expertise in brand development, marketing strategy, creative design, development, web content, digital marketing and social media.
Kelowna Flightcraft will celebrate its 45th anniversary this year with a new name, logo and look. The new name, KF Aerospace, along with a new brand identity will be phased into the organization over the coming weeks. The new name is meant to better encompass the company’s operations in cargo, aircraft leasing, maintenance, engineering and defense services. Barry Lapointe is the CEO of Flightcraft and Tracy Medve is the president. Lapointe and Jim Rogers were the founders of Flightcraft in 1970.
Giobean Express has opened a small second location on Lanfranco Road in the Mission across from Tim Hortons, between Wrap Zone and the Pharmacy. Look for the same great Giobean coffee, but it’s coffee to go. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Sarah Timmer is the assistant manager of Giobean Express. Call 778-484-5855. On another note, Giobean won the People’s Choice at the Devour Culinary event in March for its pairing of espresso with amazing “Affogato” gelato, which means drowned in Italian.
Congratulations to the Ramada Hotel & Conference Centre who were the Hospitality Challenge winners with the most blood donors for Canadian Blood Services from the hospitality industry. The Hospitality Challenge brought in 60 donations from Feb. 15 to March 15. Kudos to the Sandman Hotel, Best Western Inn, Delta Hotel and Fairfield Inn who placed in the top five. Others who participated were Brandt’s Creek Pub, Cactus Club, Original Joes, Predator Ridge, Old Spaghetti Factory, The Lake Lounge, Browns Social Club, Coast Capri, Lake City Casino, Shop the Valley, Quails’ Gate Winery, Super 8 and Joey’s.
Urban Systems has been named one of the best workplaces in Canada for the 10th consecutive year. The list was compiled for The Globe & Mail by the Great Place to Work Institute in Canada. The businesses are scored in credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. Martin Bell is the CEO of Urban Systems.
Faction Projects Inc., located in a new building at 3935 Lakeshore Rd. in the Mission, is a company that was started in 2013 by rebranding Braniff Real Estate. The company is owned by Tim McLennan, who is director of design and operations, and Michael Hoffman, director of development and construction. Their related companies are Braniff Construction Ltd., owned by Hoffman which was founded by his father Glen Hoffman who died in a plane crash in the 1980s, with his then-business partner Jim Stewart. Their architecture firm, Eidos Architecture, is owned by McLennan. That firm’s most current project is the Academy Way Residences private student housing project adjacent to UBCO, designed and being built for the Beaumont Timber Co. Hoffmann and McLennan are planning new projects throughout Western Canada. Also in the building on Lakeshore Road is interior design company Begrand-Fast Design, owned by Nicole Begrand-Fast. Incidentally, the new Lakeshore Road building is one of the largest private commercial buildings in B.C. to be constructed with cross-laminated timber. Call 250-980-4510; factionprojects.com.
Renee Wasylyk has been appointed to the Interior Health board of directors. Wasylyk is the president and CEO of Troika Developments Inc. with 17 years of experience as a developer and property and project manager.
Downtown Kelowna After 5 is Wednesday, April 29, at the BC Dragoons Armoury, 720 Lawrence Ave., from 5 to 7 p.m. Only $10 for appies, drinks and networking. Bring two friends and its only $25 for you and your guests.
Debbie Welsh has started Inner Reflections Counselling Services, located at 208-1460 Pandosy St. She works with individuals, couples and families, working as a generalist social worker who specializes in clinical therapy. Welsh is client-centred with a strength based, humanistic and existential focus. She practices with CBT, dialectical behavioral therapy, gestalt therapy and solution focused therapy. She is currently being trained in EMDR therapy and emotionally focused couples therapy. She deals with issues of depression, anxiety, addiction, relationship, self esteem, eating disorders, stress, anger management, grief and loss, adolescent behaviours, work related issues, bullying, effective communication, spirituality, trauma, life stages, sexual abuse, childhood abuse and trauma. She provides day, evenings and weekend services. Call 250-212-6666; online innerreflections.ca.
Congratulations to Donnie Ungaro for taking top spot at the local investor’s forum at Okanagan College. Presenting in front of 90 spectators and business leaders, he successfully pitched his business, Culinary Ink, a socially conscious comfort food business powered by bicycle, to a panel of angel investors. He was rewarded with the grand price of $5,000 from title sponsor Grant Thornton LLP to put towards developing the business.
The Sears Spring Beauty Event is Wednesday, April 29, from 5 to 9 p.m. There are early bird draws, door prizes, fashion show, pampering stations, music and refreshments. Tickets only $10 with $8 going towards your cosmetic or fragrance that evening. $2 will go towards the Look Good Feel Better charity for cancer. All guests who purchase a ticket will receive a gift bag on arrival filled with surprises. There is also a grand prize draw of a diamond pendant with a retail value of $500. Clinique, Estee Lauder and Lancôme all have a gift with purchase promotion for that day only.
Happy 55th anniversary Al and Donna Horning (April 8).
Wednesday, April 29, will also mark the first Papa John’s Pizza Dreams for Kids Day at both the Kelowna (1959 Harvey Ave.) and West Kelowna (2-2483 Main St.) locations with 100 per cent of proceeds and staff wages to be donated to Sunshine’s Individuals Dreams and Sunshine DreamLift programs. Medium hot and ready pizzas are only $10 each all day from 10 a.m. to close. Join in the fun with staff, media and celebrities.
Happy 50th anniversary Terry and Leslee Cochrane (May 1).
The Kelowna Yacht Club will host the annual Boat and Leisure Show on April 25 and 26 at the club’s Water Street marina location, starting at 10 a.m. each day. The boat show is free and open to the public with the exhibitor fees going to help maintain 32 mooring buoys that are anchored in strategic locations between the bridge and Caesar’s Landing. The 40 exhibitors will be showcasing more than 150 boats and gear, as well as offering special boat show pricing. For more info check out kelownayachtclub.com.
The popular 2015 Kelowna Vaisakhi Parade is on Saturday, April 25, 11 a.m., starting and ending at the Okanagan Sikh Temple, 1111 Rutland Rd. The purpose of the event is to celebrate the beginning of the Sikh New Year and the Baptism of the first Sikh with a parade.
The Orchard Valley Quilters Guild will host a quilt show featuring wonderful things that can be done with fabric and threads on May 2 and 3 at the Okanagan Mission Hall, 4409 Lakeshore Rd. Guild members will have works of felting, fibre art, silk fusion, thread painting and embroidery. They will feature displays of traditional and modern quilts, art pictures, wearables, demos, raffle quilts, silent auction, merchant mall and a boutique for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Peggy Renton, the guild’s oldest member at 100 years of age, will also be participating in the event.
Nature’s Fare, at 120 –1876 Cooper Rd. in Orchard Plaza, is the site for a free event Monday May 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the subject Why Alkaline? Christina Gohl (BSc. Kin) will be the guest presenter at the forum on the topic. Learn about pH and how your body regulates it; effect of over-acidity on your body and how to become more alkaline. Sign up at the vitamin desk as seating is limited. Call 250-762-8636.
The Central Okanagan Heritage Society is looking for volunteers for their Spring Work Bee on April 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Benvoulin Heritage Park, 2270 Benvoulin Rd. Call 250-861-7188 or email cohs@telus.net if you can help out.
The Kelowna Garden Club’s yearly plant sale takes place Saturday, May 2, at Guisachan Heritage Gardens, 1060 Cameron Ave., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations of plants can be made on Friday, May 1, 5 p.m., at Guisachan Gardens.
Have you ever attended a garage sale that uses food donations as currency? Jodi Quibell, founder and executive director of The Save Kindness Society, will host the society’s sixth Food for Gifts event on May 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at The Bridge and Family Services, 760 Highway 33 in support of The Bridge Youth and Family Services. The society, in partnership with Mamas for Mamas, relies on donations of gently used items, such as those typically seen in a garage sale, which are then sold at the event using canned/dried food items or toiletries as currency, which in turn is given to the recipient organization. Any donations of women’s or children’s items left after the event will be donated to the Mamas for Mamas group. For more info call 250-215-5415.
Birthdays of the week: Happy 60th Kevin Cutting ( April 22); happy 60th Shirley Taylor (April 23); happy 60th Shaz Burchell (April 24); Allan Lietz (April 18); Bill Winter, not same one as last week (April 21); Chris Koutsantonis (April 22);
Shelley Vida (April 22);
Jim Stuart (April 23); Mary Krupa Clark (April 23); Ellen Walker-Matthews (April 23); Alana Francis (April 24); Myrna Telford (April 25); Alan Dolman (April 25); Carol Glen (April 27); Lois Serwa (April 27); Chuck Dixon (April 27); Raghwa Gopal (April 27) and Ron Labossiere (April 28).
