This week’s column is dedicated to a good, long-time friend, retired RCMP Sgt. Bill Slade. Bill and Cathy have been friends of ours for many years and his passing was a shock to everyone. Personal condolences to Cathy, son Mark, step-son Simon and his entire family and many friends. Bill’s celebration of life will be Friday, July 11 at 2 p.m. at the Creekside Pub on Lakeshore Road where Bill and his buddies met daily for coffee.
Sticky’s Candy has opened at 300-2339 Highway 97 North in Dilworth Plaza (behind Boston Pizza).
Owned and operated by franchisee Shaun Banser and his wife Michelle Johnston Banser, this candy shop has it all and believe me, you must go there. Sticky’s now has 16 stores in B.C. with 14 in the Lower Mainland, one in Kamloops and the new Kelowna store. It offers 200 varieties of regular and specialty bulk mix and match candy and 48 different jelly belly flavours. To top it all off, it has 16 flavours of Island Farms hard ice cream and 110 different sodas, including Dad’s Root Beer, IRN BRU, Vanilla Coke and Flying Cauldron Butter Beer (Harry Potter drink), along with slush puppy. Sticky’s also has fudge and a good selection of retro candy including sponge taffy, pink elephant popcorn and PEZ, all with a nostalgic flare, along with a great selection of both US and British chocolate bars. Did you know that lunch boxes are coming back into vogue? Sticky’s has 100 different boxes to choose from. Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Call 778-478-4303 www.stickycandy.ca
Chef Bernard Casavant, one of the country’s best-know chefs, has joined Okanagan College as the institution’s culinary manager. Casavant has been at the forefront of improving the standards of the hospitality industry throughout his career. In 1986 he was one of the first chefs in Canada to earn Chef de Cuisine Certification (CCC). In 1991, he became the first West Coast born and trained chef to represent Canada in the prestigious Bocuse D’Or Competition, France and currently serves as president of the Okanagan Chefs Association. He is also a member of the B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame, along with holding directorships on many industry boards and associations. He was a founding member of Exclusively BC, Farm Folk, City Folk. bcasavant@okanagan.bc.ca or 250-762-5445 (4426).
RE/MAX Kelowna Property and Strata Management has just opened in a new location at 1-1551 Sutherland Avenue, just behind the RE/MAX Kelowna office on Harvey Avenue. With the growth that they have experienced in property and strata management this past year, they had to find a separate location for their 12 property and strata managers. The company offers full residential and commercial property and strata management services utilizing the latest software management systems. Mark Shillington is the managing broker of RE/MAX Kelowna Property and Strata Management. Call 250-717-5010 or rentalsinkelowna.com.
Well-known businessman Alex Draper is the new director of business operations for the West Kelowna Warriors. Call 250-575-2400 or alex@westkelownawarriors.ca
The Rotary Club of Kelowna—Okanagan Mission has a new executive for 2014/15. It includes: Laurie Gaymer, president; Dr. Iain Allan, president-elect; secretary, Ross Grimmer; treasurer, Ken Firkins; Sergeant at Arms, Chris DeHart; director, Howard Peet and past-president Monika Grimmer. Congratulations to Steve Wolfenden on receiving the Rotarian of the Year Award and to Lois Serwa on receiving the Colin Pritchard Award. Accolades to both Firkins for his first Paul Harris Award and to DeHart for his Paul Harris Plus Three Award. Wolfenden will also be the Rotary Foundation Chair for this term.
Twelve wines have been chosen for the 2014 Lieutenant-Governor’s Excellence in B.C. Wines, Lieutenant-Governor Judith Guichon has announced. This year was the largest competition in the 12-year history of the awards with 436 wines submitted from 119 wineries across the province. The two winners in the Kelowna area are Wayne Gretzky Okanagan, The Great Red 2011 (Andrew Peller Kelowna) and Quails’ Gate Winery, Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay 2012 (West Kelowna). For the entire British Columbia list visit www.ltgov.bc.ca
New business Float Space, owned and operated by Alan Healey and Dustin Erickson, has opened at 104 Stewart Centre North (1851 Kirschner Road). It’s the beginner’s guide to floating. Being in a float tank is like relaxing in outer space and is about everything you won’t be doing. Here’s what happens when you are floating: you will not be fighting gravity. The water is kept at skin temperature and you may lose track of where your body ends and the water begins. Your ears stay just below the water and the tanks are insulated against sound. After you shut the door and turn off the light, you float in total darkness. For an hour and a half, the outside world is gone.Your mind is free to mull things over without distraction and your body gets to rest, de-stress and heal, so aches and pains can also subside. To go into a float tank at Float Space you do not have to bring anything but yourself. It’s a new physical, spiritual and enhancement experience. Drop in and see this new business for a better understanding of floating and, perhaps, to try something new. Open Sunday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Tuesday to Saturday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Call 778-484-3562 www.floatspace.ca
The phone number for Twinview Financial Ltd., which was in last week’s column, is 1-866-800-6565. www.twinviewfinancial.ca
QVivid, formerly Quest Quality Solutions Inc. founded by Carla Reis, is celebrating its 10th year in business. With offices in Kelowna and Cachoeira, Brazil, QVivid provides services to a range of clients across North and South America specializing in web services that include graphic design, website development, eCommerce, mobile responsive designed websites and social media strategies. Some of the company’s clients include Urban Barn, Cazuza (one of Brazil’s most famous rock stars) and the SGS Oil Sands. All traffic-generation tactics are strictly within search engine guidelines and focus on increasing return on investment. Growing from a one person company to a team of copywriters, designers and development specialists over the past 10 years seems to be the most fulfilling aspect of the company, along with working with their clients to define concise strategies and implementing those to reach their online marketing goals. www.qvivid.com
Just a note to let everyone know that the Cabana Grille at 3799 Lakeshore Road is open even though there is construction on Lakeshore Road. It has great parking for the restaurant in the covered parkade (clearly marked when you enter on the side of the building) and there is also some street parking. The construction starts right at the corner of Lakeshore and Cook, just before bridge, so getting in and out of the restaurant is easy. We stopped in for pizza last week and it was absolutely delicious. Sitting outside on the patio was very pleasant and not at all noisy. Werner Kasper is the now owner/operator of the restaurant. Call 250-763-1955 www.cabanagrille.com
St. Hubertus, Oak Bay Winery and Complete Core Pilates are hosting the second annual Pinot & Pilates fundraiser for Parent Project MD, dedicated to ending Duchenne, an aggressive form of muscular dystrophy affecting young men and boys. Join them in the vines on July 10th at 7:30 p.m. with an hour of Pilates, followed by a glass of St. Hubertus’ celebrated wines. For more info call Lyla Ramirez at 250-450-9121 or completecore@me.com
Soles4Souls Canada is hosting its first 2 kilometre barefooted fundraising walk on Saturday, July 19 at 1 p.m. at the Jubilee Bowl in City Park with registration at 11 a.m. Barefoot on the Board Walk costs $20 or $100 for a team of 6. You can register in person at Roy’s Shoes on Ellis Street, House of Caribbean Foods on Lawrence Avenue, Prospera Credit Unions or go to www.soles4soulscanada.com. Prizes for best decorated feet and most pledges. The Haiti bound travelling team will be painting feet starting at 11 a.m. for a donation.
Kelowna Closet Cleanout has raised over $750 for the Kelowna Women’s Shelter and four van loads of shoes and clothing for Soles4Souls that went to Cuba. Watch for more info on their fall Closet Cleanout at the Parkinson Rec Centre on Nov. 2. Tables are now available to rent, with more details at www.kelownaclosetcleanout.com or email info@kelownaclosetcleanout.com.
Birthdays of the week – Ralf Rohrlack (July 3); Gladys McCulloch (July 5); Derrick Johanneson (July 3); Don McArthur (July 4); Dr. Iain Allan (July 4); Finbar O’Sullivan (July 4); Robert Caley (July 4); Ian Robertson, (July 5); Dr. Ian Stuart (July 7).
