Ashley Burnell is celebrating completion of his first year in business with his company, called Pack-N-Stack.
Burnell’s business rents and delivers professional grade, stackable, 100 per cent recyclable plastic moving boxes. His green boxes save the consumer the time of scavenging for used cardboard boxes, bringing them home, struggling with packing tape and then crushing them for disposal. Pack-N-Stack delivers them to your Okanagan home and picks them up when you are done. Pack-N-Stack offers a popular 50-box package, which are good for about 400 moves before they are recycled into a new set of boxes, virtually eliminating the waste associated with packing and moving. The company received the Peachland Chamber of Commerce Rising Star Award for 2011, just received its BBB accreditation and has donated boxes to several charity organizations. Call 250-864-7640; info@packnstack.ca; www.packnstack.ca
Cops for Kids is bidding farewell to event coordinator Jamie Taverner after four years of dedicated service. Courtney King will step into that position, coming from a background that not only compliments her new job. She has been associated with event management and promotion with agencies such as Spruce Meadows, Country Hills Golf Club, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada and a number of volunteer positions including the World Figure Skating Championships in 2006. Call 250-801-4438; info@copsforkids.org
Kelowna financial advisor Tod Alstad, with W. Tod Alstad Insurance, is the recipient of the Thompson Okanagan Chapter of Advocis (Financial Advisors Association of Canada) “2011 Peter W. Newton Award. Alstad has been in the financial industry for 21 years. Call 250-717-8768
Designers Rachel Clarida and Leigh Blackburn have teamed up to start Hatch Interior Design, the business name first started up by Blackburn. Clarida’s business was called RA Design. The new company is primarily focussed on commercial design including shops, offices and any other businesses. Blackburn and Clarida offer a contemporary style which is functional and are presently working on offices for LG Legal Administration on Ellis and Lawrence. Clarida is the chair of the Okanagan chapter of the B.C. Institute of Interior Designers and a director on the board of the Interior Designers of Canada. Call 250-575-8833.
Local manufacturer Campion Marine has won the Safeguarding the Environment Award from the Canadian Safe Boating Council. The company uses soybean oil and corn sourced Ashland Envirez resin to build its boats instead of chemical based resin. The company has also introduced six new models to its speed boat line-up. The new Chase 530 and Allante Forster Edition 485 were showcased last weekend at the Toronto Boat Show. Campion Marine is also producing, marketing and distributed the Infinyte Marine brand of electric boats.
Congrats to Roger O’Reilly, a Kelowna RCMP police information clerk, on receiving two customer service awards. He was recognized for his suggestions and contributions at police services in regards to B.C. criminal records searches and the PRIME (Police Records Information Management Environment) initiative. O’Reilly has been instrumental in enhancing service to the public. Awards were also presented to Michelle Kam and Tracy Guidi (sustainability coordinators); Jan Johnston (confidential secretary) and Marc Vere (building inspector).
Teacher Renee Elliott, who has a Bachelor of Arts Degree and his masters for Science in Education: Reading and Literacy, has opened the Okapi Child Care & Learning Centre at 816 Wardlaw Ave. Her child care centre is licensed as a group, multi-age so she will take up to eight children between birth and 6 years of age, although her space is limited to accepting only three children under the age of three. Elliott has implemented a school readiness program for all children within her care. In addition to child care, she offers tutoring for students starting at the kindergarten level and tutoring for essay writing for students in high school, college and university. She is also TOSEL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) certified and offers English language help for individuals or small groups. Open Monday to Friday, except stat holidays, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call 250-808-4429.
Kudos to Sparkling Hill Resort, featured in the “Simply the Best” magazine, a Florida-based luxury living magazine. The article was written by Judy Alexandra DiEdwardo.
Summerhill Pyramid Winery and Sunset Organic Bistro have been chosen by the Canadian Tourism Commission as one of Canada’s best tourism experiences. The CTC has added both the winery and restaurant to the Signature Experiences Collection used by the organization for its international marketing campaigns. The CTC collection is a showcase of high-quality Canadian tourism enterprises that deliver memorable experiences and includes 115 experiences across Canada. Ezra Cipes is the chief executive officer of the winery.
Tourism Kelowna has a new 2012 board of directors consisting of Brad Sieben, Hotel Eldorado (chairman); Stan Martindale, Ramada Hotel (vice-chair); Steve Stinson, Keg Restaurant (secretary); Ian Robertson, Kelowna Springs Golf Club (treasurer) and Roger Sellick (past chair). Serving as board directors are Michael J. Ballingall (Big White); Daniel Bibby (Delta Grand); Alan Gatzke (Gatzke Farm Market); Gavin Parry (Coast Capri); Sam Samaddar (Kelowna Airport); Markus Schrott (BDO Dunwoody); Kelly Watt (Sandman); Rosemary Paterson (Kelowna Hotel Motor Association); Tony Stewart (Quails’ Gate Winery); Tracie Ward (TCA); and Andre Blanleil (city council). The departing directors are Gail James (retired-Fairfield Inn) and Bill Eager (Manteo Resort).
Congrats to Ron Baszucki, a senior property manager for Associated Property Management, on winning the 2011 Customer Service Award. Call 250-869-8838.
West Kelowna’s newest exclusive daycare for small dogs will open Feb. 1. Called Cloud 9 Doggy Daycare, the new business is a stylish daycare and boarding facility owned and operated by partners Diane Ambery, a certified canine specialist, and master trainer Rachele Borgia Haas. The daycare offers a huge indoor play area with plenty of toys, leather furniture, doggy stairs, doggy TV, gum drop pillows and soft fluffy doggy beds laid out in a laminate-floored living room scattered with paw-friendly floor mats for gentle landings when dogs jump off furniture. Located at 1868 Byland Rd., it has a large outdoor fenced exercise area, which includes a covered area for dogs to relieve themselves without getting their paws wet on rainy or snowy days. All the little dogs will be pampered during their visits. Obedience training skills are reinforced during daycare and one-on-one and group training is also available. Dogs are admitted only upon proof of all current vaccinations and a temperament assessment. Although the daycare officially opens Feb. 1, bookings are now being taken. Call 778-755-5555
Congratulations to Leanne Praticante, Paul Guerette and Cindy Rephin, of Grant Thornton LLP, for passing the Uniform Evaluation test.
Corey Makus has been promoted to operating partner and general manager of MGC Construction, a subsidiary of Mission Group Properties. He will responsible for all the operations of MGC Construction Ltd.
Well-known local comedian Herb Dixon is celebrating 30 years of stand-up comedy on Saturday, Feb. 4, with a show at the Kelowna Community Theatre, 7 p.m. Dixon has performed in many venues around North America, including Las Vegas and he never disappoints his audience. Tickets are $20 at www.selectyourtickets.com.
Platinum Personnel, located at 202-1475 Ellis St., has donated $5,000 to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Kelowna International Airport has set a goal to find a design that met provincial carbon dioxide reduction targets and meet their budget. An integrated design team made up of mechanical, electrical and structural engineers and architects has come up with an award-winning design, earning an Excellence Award from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C. When complete, the airport will enjoy lower operating costs and produce 60 per cent less emissions than it does today even though the terminal will almost double in size. Sam Samaddar is the airport director.
The following are the external committee appointments for Kelowna city council members: Okanagan Regional Library District (Gerry Zimmermann); Kelowna Joint Water Committee (Colin Basran); Southern Interior Municipal Employers Association (Walter Gray and Robert Hobson); Kelowna Chamber of Commerce (Maxine DeHart); Tourism Kelowna (Andre Blanleil); Central Okanagan Committee for Safe School and EDC (Gail Given); Kasugai Sister City Society and Downtown Kelowna Association (Luke Stack); Uptown Rutland Business Association (Gerry Zimmermann); City of Vernon Biosolids Advisory Committee (Robert Hobson) and UBC Okanagan External Community Advisory Council (Walter Gray); Accessibility Advisory Committee (Mohini Singh and Gerry Zimmermann); Airport Advisory Committee (Walter Gray and Colin Basran); Audit Committee (Walter Gray, Robert Hobson and Gail Given); City of Kelowna Citizen of the Year/Civic Awards Committee (Maxine DeHart).
The Mount Everest Summit Team is hosting a “Go for Summit” Party at Summerhill Winery on Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 5 to 8 p.m. Treat yourself to an evening of sipping, savouring and symphony by the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. For tickets contact Ryan Morice at ryanmorice@gmail.com or purchase them at the door ($50). Early bird tickest are $30, and in advance $40.
January can be a time when donations are down and the Salvation Army Thrift Stores are in need of gently used clothing, as their stock is much depleted. If you have any gently used, clean clothing for men, women and children of any age or household goods, call Geri Grainger at 250-300-5616. Grainger manages the thrift stores in Kelowna and West Kelowna. January is a good time to clean out your closets and donate.
Fire and Ice paintings by Kelowna artist Don Makela are now showing at De Bakker’s Kitchen, 1014 Glenmore Dr.
The Rutland Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop, at 140 Dougall Rd., will put on a $5 bag sale from Jan, 30 to Feb. 4. All proceeds will benefit Kelowna General Hospital.
The Kelowna Canadian-Italian Club will host a St. Valentine’s Day Gala Dinner and Dance at Parkinson Recreation Centre on Saturday, Feb. 11, with music by Viva Band from Vancouver and a buffet dinner. For tickets ($40) call Joe at 250-878-3619.
Birthdays of the week: Happy 50th Glen Campbell, Daily Courier (Feb. 1); happy 40th Stuart Gray (Jan. 28); Bill Sinclair (Jan. 26); Wayne Evans (Jan. 23); John Ritchie (Jan. 20); Marie Clark (Jan. 28); Dr. Bernie Legatto (Jan. 28); Lillian Colpron (Jan. 27); Dennis MacLeod (Jan. 29); Mike Huntley (Jan.31); Linda DeCosta (Feb. 1).
Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546, fax 250-860-3173, email maxdehart@telus.net.
