His roots are steeped in the Okanagan orchards.
Richard Rolke’s job before becoming a Morning Star reporter was working in the Westbank orchards belonging to his family or others.
Since trading his picking bag for pen and paper, Rolke, 44, has written tirelessly about the once-mighty B.C. fruit industry, a field whose members today struggle to be viable.
Rolke’s dedication to the industry was recognized in Kelowna Thursday, at the 123rd annual B.C. Fruit Growers Association annual general meeting, when he was presented with the Press Award in recognition of professional reporting on the tree fruit industry.
“Given my roots and my family’s involvement in the tree fruit industry, the award means a lot to me,” said Rolke, accompanied at the presentation by his wife, Jodi, and his dad, Maurice. “It’s overwhelming.”
Rolke’s two sets of great grandparents started orchards in Osoyoos and Westbank in the 1920s, and his grandma and grandpa Rolke operated an orchard in Westbank, where Maurice grew up.
Maurice worked on the family farm – mainly apple, but also pears, prunes and cherries – and the Westbank packinghouse, as did Richard’s mom, Nellie, and other relatives.
Rolke was about 12-years-old when he was handed a picking bag and sent out to the family orchard.
“I did that after schools, with my younger brother, Jim, summers and on weekends until I took this job,” said Rolke in the Morning Star interview room.
Since then, Rolke has written feverishly about the fruit industry.
He has written lots of positive articles and columns, but has also had to write about the changes in an industry that once was an economic powerhouse in the province. Now, the tree fruit industry faces an uncertain future in terms of viability.
“Richard is a tireless and passionate advocate for the tree fruit industry and it’s wonderful that the association has chosen to honour his efforts in this way,” said Morning Star managing editor Glenn Mitchell.
“The Morning Star has served the fruit industry well over the past years, largely thanks to Richard’s columns and stories, allowing readers to be informed about this vital and iconic Okanagan tradition.”
Through it all, Rolke has developed a bond for those involved in the industry.
“I’ve made some real good friends over the years,” said Rolke of his dealings with the industry and its members. “They’re terrific people.”
One of those is BCFGA past-president Joe Sardinha of Summerland, who presented Rolke with his award.
“I was absolutely thrilled to have handed it out,” said Sardinha. “Richard’s been in the trenches for a number of years reporting on the fruit industry. He’s covered local stories like when big hail storms hit Vernon-area growers, for example. We wanted to recognize his contributions to the overall future of the industry.”
