One in five children in Penticton living in poverty
How many children do you think 14 school busses can seat? The answer is just over 1,000, which is also how many children in Penticton are living in poverty.
According to the B.C. Child Poverty Report Card, this equates to about 19 per cent of children in the city. That number is three per cent lower than the Okanagan as a whole, but experts said more can and should be done to eliminate child poverty.
“For houses with young children, the biggest expenses are housing and childcare, those are number one and number two,” said Ian Gerbrandt, director of child, youth and family services with OneSky Community Resources in Penticton.
The centre provides support to people of all ages in the community and offers multiple services for expecting parents, new parents and beyond. This includes a pregnancy support program, childcare programs, a lending library for free educational toys, a supported child development program and more.
To read the full report, click here.
Four more years in South Okanagan-West Kootenay for NDP and Richard Cannings
At 10 p.m. on the night of Oct. 21, Richard Cannings arrived at his election party to cheers of NDP, NDP, four more years, four more years moved throughout the room hugging supporters after the riding was called in his favour by Canadian Press at about 9:30 a.m.
Earlier that night at 9:30 p.m., Canadian Press has called South Okanagan-West Kootenay for the NDP’s Richard Cannings, who with 12,842 votes has lengthened his lead again over the Conservative candidate Helena Konanz (11,157 votes)
At 9 p.m., silence cut across the room at the Cannings gathering at the Lakeside Resort when word came in that his lead had dropped to just 0.4 per cent over Conservative challenger Helena Konanz.
Throughout the evening, Richard Cannings (NDP) has maintained a small lead over Conservative candidate Helena Konanz, but as more polls report in the gap has shrunk, with Cannings now at 7351 votes, just 88 ahead of Konanz’ 7,263.
At 8:30 p.m., Cannings was leading, with 35 per cent of the popular vote, and challenger Helena Konanz (CON) coming up at 32.4 per cent. Connie Denesiuk (LIB) is in third place at 19.3 per cent, followed by Tara Howse (GRN) at 10.1 per cent and Sean Taylor (PPC) at 2.7 per cent. This was with about 12 per cent of the polls reported.
To read the full report, click here.
Fashion show for a cause in Penticton
It’s a fashion show you can’t miss.
On October 23, the Western reported that the Dragonfly Pond Family Society was holding its annual Uniquely Fashionable Fashion Show Nov. 28 at the Lakeside Resort.
The event ran from 6 to 9 p.m. and was billed as a fun evening of inclusion and community, promoting community awareness about disability, diversity and the power of inclusion.
The first hour was set to be a cocktail reception with a cash bar followed by a dance performance put on by Okanagan Inclusion. Then the real stars of the show hit the runway.
Models for the event who were set to strut their stuff on the catwalk are the children and youth who have disabilities and/or complex care needs and their siblings.
Those attending were encouraged to celebrate the uniqueness of each child to the tune of a song they have picked out for themselves. There was also set to be an opportunity to learn a little bit about each child and cheer them on as they enjoy their moment in the spotlight.
The society is committed to supporting families with children, aged birth to 18, who have physical or developmental difficulties.
They offer a wide range of programs for kids and even have a ‘respitality’ program that goes from October to March which is a combination of respite and hospitality.
That provides parents of the children an opportunity for overnight accommodations and gift certificates for meals and/or entertainment.
They also have a monthly family get together at different locations at no cost to members. No referrals or medical forms are required and membership is only $10.
