Lisa VanderVelde

Amanda Bailey, Gateway Shelter’s Christmas wish list organizer, accepts a number of gifts from 10-year-old Kiana Casanova, who raised the funds for the presents.

Festive gift for shelter

It all started with a crafting project and ended with 10 year-old Kiana Casanova fulfilling over 50 Christmas wishes for the Gateway Shelter

Amanda Bailey, Gateway Shelter’s Christmas wish list organizer, accepts a number of gifts from 10-year-old Kiana Casanova, who raised the funds for the presents.
Miss Congeniality Cassia Swartz, with the Queen Silver Star Excellence program, takes a donation from Melissa Smith and Josh Godfrey during the United Way Drive-Thru Breakfast at the Best Western Vernon Lodge Thursday morning.

Community drives in with support

United Way’s Drive-Thru Breakfast raises $11,400 for community agencies

Miss Congeniality Cassia Swartz, with the Queen Silver Star Excellence program, takes a donation from Melissa Smith and Josh Godfrey during the United Way Drive-Thru Breakfast at the Best Western Vernon Lodge Thursday morning.
Grade 12 student Georgia Tooke just wants to get back to school. She shared that message in front of the courthouse on 27th Street this week.

Vernon student sends a message

One girl holding a simple statement can make quite an impression

Grade 12 student Georgia Tooke just wants to get back to school. She shared that message in front of the courthouse on 27th Street this week.
Darrell Comazzetto of Kamloops shears his sheep Man Among Boys at the Interior Provincial Exhibition. The Armstrong fair wraps up today.

A lot of variety at fair

Many people have specific reasons for attending the 115th Interior Provincial Exhibition, which wraps up today.

Darrell Comazzetto of Kamloops shears his sheep Man Among Boys at the Interior Provincial Exhibition. The Armstrong fair wraps up today.
Curtis de Dood holds up his daughter Paxton, 14 months, as sisters Cheyanne and Emmerson Haak show her Cheyanne’s calf, Trophy, Wednesday at the IPE.

Fair celebrates 4-H

A walk through the barns at the IPE is all it takes to find out how a program like 4-H has been successful in B.C. for 100 years

Curtis de Dood holds up his daughter Paxton, 14 months, as sisters Cheyanne and Emmerson Haak show her Cheyanne’s calf, Trophy, Wednesday at the IPE.
Julie Oakes (left) and Caetani board co-chair Angelika Jaeger with Oakes’ piece, Rabbit in the Moon. The piece is inspired by the artist’s recent trip to China and is just one of many pieces of fine art to be auctioned off at this year’s A Splash of Red, taking place Aug. 21 at the Caetani Cultural Centre.

Ready to make ‘A Splash of Red’

After a one-year hiatus, A Splash of Red returns with an evening of Italian food, wine and art under the stars

Julie Oakes (left) and Caetani board co-chair Angelika Jaeger with Oakes’ piece, Rabbit in the Moon. The piece is inspired by the artist’s recent trip to China and is just one of many pieces of fine art to be auctioned off at this year’s A Splash of Red, taking place Aug. 21 at the Caetani Cultural Centre.
Monique Mazereeuw, gleaning co-ordinator, and David MacBain, Salvation Army community ministries director, show some of the produce donated to them by the Vernon Farmers Market.

Food bank ready to harvest generosity

The Salvation Army’s Vernon food bank is making sure everyone has access to a healthy meal.

Monique Mazereeuw, gleaning co-ordinator, and David MacBain, Salvation Army community ministries director, show some of the produce donated to them by the Vernon Farmers Market.
Tiffani Furlong (top right), Kirsten Drydyk and Emily Bennett write in each other's yearbooks before their graduation night begins Friday at A.L. Fortune Secondary School.

Grads cherish memories

The tight-knit A.L. Fortune grad students sit together writing messages in each other’s yearbooks

Tiffani Furlong (top right), Kirsten Drydyk and Emily Bennett write in each other's yearbooks before their graduation night begins Friday at A.L. Fortune Secondary School.
Jessica Harvey (left), Tyesha Romano and Dory Geelkerken joke around before their graduation class photo in front of Vernon Secondary School Friday.

Grads share lasting memories

Second VSS grad class of the new school was captured on the front steps before their graduation ceremony Friday at Kal Tire Place

Jessica Harvey (left), Tyesha Romano and Dory Geelkerken joke around before their graduation class photo in front of Vernon Secondary School Friday.
Vernon fire crews responded to a a fully engulfed house fire on 35th Street around 10 a.m. Saturday.

Vernon home destroyed by fire

Vernon fire crews responded to a a fully engulfed house fire on 35th Street around 10 a.m. Saturday.

Vernon fire crews responded to a a fully engulfed house fire on 35th Street around 10 a.m. Saturday.
Kevin Brooks, ICBC's road safety speaker, speaks to Grade 11 and 12 students at WL Seaton Secondary.

Powerful Message

Kevin Brooks, ICBC's road safety speaker, speaks to Grade 11 and 12 students at WL Seaton Secondary

Kevin Brooks, ICBC's road safety speaker, speaks to Grade 11 and 12 students at WL Seaton Secondary.
Cori Doorman and her father Rick Siemens clean up the piles of garbage and burnt pallets left on the ice of Swan Lake Wednesday afternoon.

Spring cleaning

Cleaning up after people has become an unwanted spring tradition for Rick Siemens and his neighbours

Cori Doorman and her father Rick Siemens clean up the piles of garbage and burnt pallets left on the ice of Swan Lake Wednesday afternoon.
Cheyenne Krog (from second left), Miss Durning Directions and Services, smiles after being crowned Queen, Simmy Sidhu, Miss MHC Mortgage House, gives a fist pump as she celebrates becoming a Princess, Paige Webster, Miss White House Mortgages, also crowned as a Princess and Cassia Swartz (left), Miss Armstrong Kin Club, was crowned as Miss Congeniality.

New royalty crowned

The new royalty was crowned at the Queen Silver Star Excellence Program Proclamation and Coronation.

Cheyenne Krog (from second left), Miss Durning Directions and Services, smiles after being crowned Queen, Simmy Sidhu, Miss MHC Mortgage House, gives a fist pump as she celebrates becoming a Princess, Paige Webster, Miss White House Mortgages, also crowned as a Princess and Cassia Swartz (left), Miss Armstrong Kin Club, was crowned as Miss Congeniality.
Wilf Pauls signs copies of his latest book, Fweddy The Wed Fwog Pwince, following a signing.

Fweddy makes his debut

North Okanagan librarian Wilf Pauls launches his third book for children

Wilf Pauls signs copies of his latest book, Fweddy The Wed Fwog Pwince, following a signing.
Penny Liao-Lussier, McMurtry-Baerg Cancer Centre manager, gives Dorothy Wilson (left), Nadine Poznanski and Marie Janicki (right) a tour of the new expanded centre Thursday at the grand opening.

Cancer centre doubles in size

the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation raised $500,000 to complete the expansion and renovations.

Penny Liao-Lussier, McMurtry-Baerg Cancer Centre manager, gives Dorothy Wilson (left), Nadine Poznanski and Marie Janicki (right) a tour of the new expanded centre Thursday at the grand opening.
Emily Graham takes a photo with her friends Adam Gamage and Shanaya Pol in their cap and gowns after the traditional Vernon Secondary School grad photo taken on the steps of the courthouse Thursday afternoon in Justice Park.

Tradition continues at new VSS

First class to graduate from new Vernon Secondary uphold courthouse photo tradition

Emily Graham takes a photo with her friends Adam Gamage and Shanaya Pol in their cap and gowns after the traditional Vernon Secondary School grad photo taken on the steps of the courthouse Thursday afternoon in Justice Park.
Good Guy of the Year Gary Weatherill (above) cheers on teammate Elaine Galozo at the NOCLS Charity Golf Classic Friday at the Vernon Golf and Country Club.

Golf Classic tees up support for NOCLS

NOCLS Charity Golf Classic raises $112,414 on behalf of developmentally disabled adults.

Good Guy of the Year Gary Weatherill (above) cheers on teammate Elaine Galozo at the NOCLS Charity Golf Classic Friday at the Vernon Golf and Country Club.
Al Szeliga, president of the Vernon Community Music School, (left) joins Pete Pasechnik and his daughter Penny Latta of Pasechnik Contracting for the final pour of concrete for the new basement foundation.

It’s back to the music

The Vernon Community Music School begins phase one of its upgrades

Al Szeliga, president of the Vernon Community Music School, (left) joins Pete Pasechnik and his daughter Penny Latta of Pasechnik Contracting for the final pour of concrete for the new basement foundation.
Jensen Huggins, 14, works with his dad Jeff Huggins on attaching the pieces of the wooden kayak together with wire.

Project builds on family values

Latter Day Saints Venture Scouting group gets youth involved in hands-on project

Jensen Huggins, 14, works with his dad Jeff Huggins on attaching the pieces of the wooden kayak together with wire.
Akbal Mund, Funtastic Sports Society director, (left) and Funtastic president Brett Kirkpatrick (right), seal their partnership with Stefan Tobler (second left), Okanagan Spring brewmaster, and Brent Wattie, Okanagan Spring Brewery district sales manager, with a handshake.

Funtastic festival brews up a new sponsor

Okanagan Spring Brewery is the new official beer sponsor of the Funtastic Summer Festival.

Akbal Mund, Funtastic Sports Society director, (left) and Funtastic president Brett Kirkpatrick (right), seal their partnership with Stefan Tobler (second left), Okanagan Spring brewmaster, and Brent Wattie, Okanagan Spring Brewery district sales manager, with a handshake.