• My Sister’s Closet Clothing Program opened its doors in Chase on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The program is based on the International Dress for Success program, a professional clothing assistance program intended to help women who need business attire. My Sister’s Closet was created to assist women by accepting donations and then providing free clothing for all women who could use the support – support which is provided locally, donated by women for women.
• A Salmon Arm company wants to safely reconnect families with loved ones in care facilities where visitations are restricted due to COVID-19. ADAM Integrated Industries developed Sentinel Cottage, a portable building with a cottage-like feel where more than one person at a time could visit with loved ones.
“We felt that… loved ones need to be recognized in more than just sight,” said George Rithaler, development manager at ADAM. “They need to have some sort of touch. But the question is, how do you do that and maintain a safe bubble? So our solution was, let’s provide this perfect environment and let’s allow physical contact within a safe manner.”
• One summer without mosquito control was one too many for communities in the North Shuswap. Along with Shuswap Lake’s extended period of high water that occurred last summer, areas of the North Shuswap, including Scotch Creek and Lee Creek, saw an abundance of mosquitoes. BC Parks and the Little Shuswap Lake Indian Band indicated there was support for the return of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District’s mosquito control program, which was discontinued in October 2019 based on direction from the band and BC Parks.
• Métis elder John Sayer worked in the North Okanagan-Shuswap School District for more than two decades. Since his ‘retirement’ a few years ago, he has returned once a week to the Storefront School in Salmon Arm to create carvings and connect with students. The most recent project for Sayer and the school involves carvings sometimes called ‘wood spirits.’ Sayer has been creating the long, narrow faces carved into the wood of fallen trees for several years. In a letter to city council, Storefront staff spoke of how invaluable the carving program with Sayer has been to the school, and requested permission to put up the carvings in Little Mountain Park.
• On Tuesday morning, Nov. 24, Salmar Cinemas announced its Grand and Classic theatres were closed in response to the latest order by the provincial health officer, to reduce COVID-19 transmission related to social interactions and travel.
