Corks and Hops—Okanagan is the first and only hop on/ hop off wine tour company in Kelowna, owned and operated by well-known tourism/marketing/hotel gal Barb Douglas. The company offers several different options for guests to experience the many wineries in our area. This is how it works. There are three regions for you to choose from—Kelowna Lakeshore, West Kelowna and Bottleneck-Summerland)—your choice of eight wineries per region; your choice of three pick up/drop off locations in Kelowna; all tours are a minimum of five hours; every guest receives a complimentary wine bag and a bottle of water; transportation in a modern van with licensed hospitable drivers; reservations are required. What a perfect way to visit the wineries. Stop for lunch when you want or stay at a winery as long as you want and get a ride back when you want. Corks and Hops will be operating from the May long weekend until mid-September. Chelene Reimer is the director of operations. Call 250-767-3371. www.corksandhopsokanagan.com
Anthony’s Subaru has relocated to beautiful brand new premises at 2759 Highway 97 N. (between Lexus and Ford). Owned and operated by Tony and Franca Lunelli, they originally started in West Kelowna in 1981, expanded to Kelowna in 1988 and then into Penticton in 1998 as a premier dealer of new and used Subaru vehicles. The new dealership is 13,000 square feet, with an eight bay full service shop, new offices and a large showroom that will hold seven display vehicles. The dealership has easy access off Highway 97 and lots of parking. At the present time, the Subaru Forrester is their most popular vehicle. Call 250-861-6163. www.anthonys.ca
A landmark store in Kelowna, Fabricland at 2455 Highway 97 North, is making a major move to West Kelowna. They will be relocating in August to the former MTF warehouse located on Stevens Road beside Kal Tire. The new store will be bigger and brighter and the staff will be going with the store. Fabricland will close in Kelowna on July 19.
After five years in Kelowna as pastor/officer of The Salvation Army Kelowna, Major Ron Cartmell has accepted a promotion and will be moving to Edmonton. He will be relocating to the Salvation Army Divisional Head Quarters as Divisional Commander of Alberta, Yukon and the North West Territories. Major Cartmell will be leaving around June 15. Stay tuned for his replacement. The Salvation Army is also opening a new donation warehouse at 2330 Hunter Rd. (beside Shaw). This will be a central location where donors can bring their donations to support the thrift stores. It is not a store, but sorting and pricing will be done there. Call 250-860-2329. www.kelowna.salvationarmy.ca
Ron Forbes, property manager at the City of Kelowna is retiring after 35 years, on May 2. Here’s some trivia about Ron. He started his career with the city as a life guard and swim instructor at the Parkinson Rec Centre. He then went on as aquatic supervisor and recreation supervisor, doing just about every job in the aquatic area. He has also been interim Community Theatre manager, was at the Mary Irwin Theatre and also the Rotary Centre for the Arts. In 1985 Ron was part of a life guard team that was entered in the Provincials and won the championships. In 1986 they came in second in the Canadian Championships. Ron met his wife Laura of 30 years when both of them were working as life guards at the Parkinson Rec Centre. When I asked him what he has planned in retirement his answer was “I do not know!
Paradigm Mortgage, located at #210-1980 Cooper Rd., is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Paradigm was started in 1994 by Don Crompton (formerly Carruthers & Meikle and Realty World) and Rae Meier (formerly of Kelly’s Stereo Marts downtown and Orchard Park). Leanne Wilson is now the president and CEO of Paradigm with Marylyn Needham their CFO, who has been with the company since its inception. Marylyn shared her time for many years between Realty World/Royal LePage and Paradigm, joining Paradigm full time in 2010. Leanne worked for Don at Carruthers and Meikle from 1984 to 1987 and joined Paradigm in 1995. They have a team of 15 in Kelowna and manage a mortgage portfolio of approximately $140 million. Paradigm is now owned by Don, Rae, Marylyn, Leanne and Brad Graham, their senior portfolio manager, who joined them in 2009 after 19 years with the TD Bank. Call 250-979-2911. www.paradigmmortgage.ca
Tom Harris Cellular at 2447 Highway 97 North (Banks Road beside Fabricland) is now an official drop off location for Jim Belshaw’s Soles4Souls campaign. In a year they are hopeful that all 45 locations of Tom Harris will join in. Call Laurie Foster at 250-861-8848.
Beadiful Arts and Bombshell Boutique were located together at 510 West Ave., Beadiful in the front of the shop and Bombshell in the back. The Bombshell girls have moved out on their own and are now located at 482 West Ave. The shop is now called West Avenue Boutique. Kristin Butler of Beadiful has turned her back room into a small local art gallery. On Saturday, April 26 from 3 to 5 p.m. Beadiful is featuring Diana Wilkinson (Rynika Arts). Diana is a self-taught multimedia artist who’s colourful canvases surprise everyone when they find out she only uses paper and no paint. Customers can enter to win an original piece of work by Diana valued a $175. The shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Call 250-868-1213.
On Earth Day (Tuesday, April 22) Ash Burnell, president of Sun Valley Window Cleaners is holding the first annual Sun Valley Window Cleaners Downtown Cleanup. The event is being held in cooperation with the Downtown Kelowna Business Association and Powerplant Whole Foods (Martin McDermott). The two companies have come together to encourage residents and businesses to come out on Earth Day and make the downtown shine. Martin will be providing wholesome, organic raw food bars that day enticing shopkeepers and Kelowna residents to come out and pitch in. Ash does a fair amount of pressure washing and window cleaning in the downtown area for private businesses but noticed that there were many key areas that fell outside of anyone’s responsibility and are badly neglected. With the new revitalization of downtown, he feels that Kelowna residents and businesses should take ownership of this public space and keep it looking pristine. The entire crew of eight from Sun Valley will be volunteering downtown with their three commercial pressure washers and brooms cleaning up back alleys and key areas throughout downtown. The event will kick off at 9 a.m. at Kerry Park (across from Kelowna O’Bryan’s) and run until 4 p.m. The association will be coordinating the locations that are in greatest need and dispatching volunteers to those areas. Fuel up with a Powerplant bar and help Sun Valley Window Cleaners make this cleanup a Kelowna tradition. Call 250-868-7341. www.sunvalleywindowcleaners.com
The YMCA of Okanagan AGM and Recognition Celebration is Tuesday, April 22 at the Kelowna Family YMCA, 375 Hartman Road at 6 p.m.
Elyse Selig, owner/operator of Driving Miss Daisy of the Central Okanagan is celebrating her eighth year in business. DMD is a Canadian franchise that has become the leader in non-medical senior’s services including personalized assistance and accompaniment, which also includes transportation for the elderly and those with disabilities. They provide one-time or regular bookings for any kind of medical appointment or outing. Advance reservations are recommended. Call 778-478-7576, www.drivingmissdaisy.net
For the third time in his career, Ken Thom of Thom & Associates Financial Planners has achieved the Court of the Table milestone. Court of the table members produce at a level three times that of the regular million dollar round table membership requirements. Call 250-712-3055.
Sponsored by Argus Properties the Live Case Competition has been won by a team of UBC Okanagan management students for their innovative plans to improve life in the valley. The team pitched their ideas in real time to judges and community leaders. Congratulations to Brenden Watt, Karen Noy, Kaylin Westbrook, Russell Hoefsloot, Kirsten Rancier and Russel Jarvis.
Wild Play Element Parks Kelowna, at 5983 Hwy. 33 (Heartland Ranch), where you can get outside and unleash your primal instincts with an Aerial Adventure of a lifetime is now open. You can climb, zip line or swing. Call 250-765-4533. www.wildplay.com
Singin’ Spring is being presented by the Okanagan Festival Singers under the direction of Leroy Wiens and guest choir Serious Options from Kamloops on April 26 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets available $15 and $10 students at Wentworth Music, Mosaic Books and World of Music. www.ofsingers.com
The Kelowna Wellness Show is April 26-27 at the Curling Club. There are seven free seminars, lots to see and the first 100 people will get a gift bag starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday. For more info call Laura Pelletier at 250-769-5552.
Madi Francis is fundraising for her trip to Kenya where she has been invited to take part in an exciting leadership and volunteer program, having an opportunity to volunteer in a local community. To help with costs for the trip and just in time for Mother’s Day, Madi has hanging baskets and planters; strawberry baskets; 10 pack herbs and tomatoes; zonal geranium, marigold or petunia packs; organic potting soil or organic based fertilizer shaker variously ranging in price from $12 to two for $55. All are premium products. It’s a great way to get your spring plants and help out as well. Call 250-769-6263. alana.francis24@gmail.com (Madi’s mom).
Birthdays of the week—Happy 99th Wilf Johnsen (April 20); Happy 80th Joyce Ritchey (April 21); Happy 70th Wendy Waller (April 14); Happy 65th Councillor Gerry Zimmermann (April 14); Mike Guzzi (April 17); Peter Burleigh (April 18); MJ Bennett, Victor Properties (April7); Lance Kayfish (April8); Nick Pisio (April18); Shel Jacobson (April18); John Goncalves (April 19); Sue Martin (April 19); Bill Winters (April 21) Kevin Cutting (April 22); Chris Koutsantonis (April 22); Ellen Walker-Matthews (April 23); Jim Stuart (April 23); Mary Krupa-Clark (April 23); Shirley Taylor (April 23); In memory Albert Baldeo (April 21).
