Clearwater Times, January 02, 2014

Thursday, January 2, 2014 ▼ Volume 1 No. 50 ▼ www.clearwatertimes.com ▼ $1.35 Includes GST

LOCAL NEWS: STUDENTS HELP FOOD BANK ▼ A7T

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ETimes Second PlaceGeneral Excellence

B.C. and Yukon<2,000 circulation

2013

Second PlaceBest All Round

NewspaperThird Place

Best Editorial PageAll of Canada

<1,250 circulation2013

CAREER CHANGE:Santa looks at the NHL. See pages A10 and A11 inside.

Skate with SantaKalan Priede tells Santa Claus what he wants for Christmas during the annual Skate with Santa event at the Sportsplex on Sunday evening, Dec. 22. Sitting in are Santa's helpers (l-r) Hanna Bromley, Emma Collins and Juniper Wadlegger.

Photo by Keith McNeil

Times Staff

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure recently installed two new DriveBC webcams near the roundabout on Highway 5 in Clearwater.

The cameras became active on or before Dec. 20.

The first faces west (south) towards the roundabout on

Highway 5 while the second faces east (north) towards Kal Tire.

The new webcams at the Clearwater roundabout join other DriveBC webcams already in place along Yellowhead Highway 5 at Lempriere, Blue River, Messiter Summit, Wire Cache, Little Fort and Barriere.

The DriveBC website was launched in 2005

and is now the govern-ment of B.C.’s most popular website.

It receives an average of 2.9 million visits per month.

The website offers a number of other online tools that provide up-to-date information on traffic, weather and road conditions.

There are more than 250 B.C. highway web-cams on the DriveBC network.

Keith McNeill

District of Clearwater, Thompson Nicola Regional District and BC Transit announced recently that the Valley Connector bus service to Kamloops will double in 2014 – up from one round trip a week to two.

Starting Jan. 7, 2014 transit service between Clearwater and Kamloops will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Previously, the bus service to Kamloops and back was avail-able on Thursdays only.

Having two trips per week will make making medical appointments much easier, Mayor John Harwood noted during Clearwater town coun-cil's Dec. 17 meeting.

Local residents will now be able to take the bus to

Kamloops on Tuesday, stay over Wednesday, and then return on Thursday.

Many motels near Royal Inland Hospital offer inexpensive accommodation, he said.

Harwood noted that many residents of Blue River also appreciate the Valley Connector service. They do not necessarily use it to travel to Kamloops, he said. Often they only go as far as Clearwater for shopping or medical appointments.

The bus makes the trip from Blue River to Kamloops and back once a month.

Customers must book their trips at least 24 hours in advance.

For more information on transit schedules, fares and routes in Clearwater, please con-sult www.bctransit.com/regions/clr or call customer service at 250.674.3935.

Clearwater webcams overlook roundaboutOne of two new DriveBC webcams at Clearwater faces west (south) towards the roundabout on Highway 5. The sec-ond faces east (north) towards Kal Tire.DriveBC photo

Valley Connector transit service going to two days per week

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A2 www.clearwatertimes.com Thursday, January 2, 2014 Clearwater Times

Andrea Klassen, Kamloops This Week

Neighbours on Seymour Street would never have seen the bod-ies.

Had Drake Smith’s plan proceeded, deceased people would have been driven to the property at 905 Seymour St. in an unmarked van and unloaded in a closed garage.

For the most part,

they would have stayed not much more than 48 hours before being taken to Sahali for cremation.

But, for those living in the houses close to the site where Smith hoped to open his funeral-arrangement office, even the thought of living next door to the dead proved too much.

“This is not a happy occasion, facing dead people or being reminded of everything that comes

with it — crying, dis-traught people coming in and out,” said Effat Faridi, who owns a rent-al property across the street, at a public hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at City Hall.

“It’s not fair for any-one to be subjected to it.”

Smith, president of North Thompson Funeral Services Ltd., was applying to have the property rezoned to

permit a funeral service that doesn’t quite follow the typical funeral-home model.

Instead of hosting memorials or offering embalming on-site, the office would be a place for family and friends of the deceased to make arrangements.

Funerals would be held at churches or com-munity halls.

Smith has a similar setup in Barriere and a

full funeral home in Clearwater, where bod-ies would be trans-

ported if embalming was requested.

Under B.C. law, a dead body must be held for 48 hours prior to cremation, Smith said, a service the centre would also provide.

That was a major sticking point for Dick Nguyen, whose home is directly behind the pro-posed site.

“When you’re of an Asian descent, it’s con-sidered potentially bad fortune when you’re living across from a cemetery or living close to the deceased,” Nguyen said.

Frank Sirianni, who lives next door, said his

Italian back-ground and reli-gious beliefs also made the idea of living next to the dead unpalatable.

“I understand business and I know progression has to happen.

“But, this is almost too much,” said Sirianni, who argued his elderly mother would be upset seeing the business next door.

He also expressed con-cerns about the effect of the business on the already busy laneway behind the property.

Smith said he didn’t think traffic would be a problem at the site.

“Most funeral-arrange-ment offices, if we have, for example, one client per week come into the funeral home, that’s a normal week,” he said.

“You might have two cars come at a time and they park in those park-ing spaces the architect has drawn up and they come inside and we talk, then they go away.”

Coun. Pat Wallace said she has concerns about the alley, which she said is “very, very busy.”

Other councillors felt it was important to be sensitive to the neigh-bours’ concerns sur-rounding the deceased.

“When the two neigh-bours on either side are expressing cultural, reli-gious issues with this — while I would not have those concerns — I don’t want to impose on some-body,” said Arjun Sigh.

“I think it would offend too many people,” added Marg Spina.

The rezoning applica-tion failed by a margin of 5-3, with councillors Singh, Spina, Wallace, Ken Christian and Nelly Dever voting against it. Mayor Peter Milobar and councillors Donovan Cavers and Nancy Bepple voted in favour. Coun. Tina Lange was absent with an illness.

Keith McNeill

Land clearing for a proposed park to be located just east of the Blackpool Hall should get under-way as soon as the snow clears next spring, according to Tim Pennell, Thompson-Nicola Regional District director for Wells Gray Country (Area A).

“Kinder Morgan is providing its local crew to do the work,” Pennell said. “They also have contributed $1,000 to the project.”

Plans for the proposed park were brought to a public meeting at Blackpool Hall one year ago. It was hoped at the time that the project would get underway last spring but that did not prove possible.

Progress made on the park project includes entering into an agreement with Star Lake Women’s Institute for use of the property.

The regional district has received a $25,000 grant from Wells Gray Community Forest (2010) Society towards the project.

Staff from the TNRD have modified the plans with input from Kinder-Morgan to accommodate the pipeline right-of-way.

Pennell and TNRD staff say they will be moving forward with Phase 1 in the spring, as budget allows.

They also continue to seek appli-cable funding opportunities to sup-port the project completion.

As outlined in the plans brought forward last year, the project would include a “rock and ropes” play area for youngsters.

Features would include a spiral slide and swing set, while a safety surface would help prevent injuries after falls.

A post and beam picnic shel-ter similar to one in the Birch Island community park would allow mothers to stay out of the sun while keeping an eye on their youngsters.

There would be a series of exer-cise stations along a 250-meter walkway that would loop around the park.

Blackpool Park to move ahead this spring

A drawing show the layout of a park proposed for land on Ferry Road next to Blackpool Hall. TNRD graphic

Kamloops city council buries Smith's funeral plan

3246_CLE BC TransitBarrier North Thompson Star Journal (Mon) 5.8125" x 5"Insertion date: December 23 and 30, 2013 and January 6, 2014

Reber Creative for BC Transit250-385-5255

3246

Clearwater and Area Transit

Service Change Effective January 7, 2014

Service to Kamloops available Tuesday and Thursday.

Visit www.bctransit.com and click Clearwater for new schedules, or pick up a Rider’s Guide onboard.

District ofClearwater

Transit Info 250·674·3935 • www.bctransit.com

Serious Issues require Serious Lawyers

• ICBC Claims• Family Law• Real Estate

Jim McCreight is on location in the Interior Savings Insurance office

every Wednesday.

250-674-2255 or

1-888-374-3161

www.mjblaw.com

Clearwater Times Thursday, January 2, 2014 www.clearwatertimes.com A3

Keith McNeill

A request from Raft Mountain Skating Club for new backdrop curtains for the North Thompson Sportsplex got the nod Dec. 17 from Clearwater town council.

Council voted to support spending up to $10,000 to pur-chase the curtains.

Of this, $1,000 would come from the skate club, while anoth-er $5,000 possibly would be pro-vided by a grant from Wells Gray Community Forest.

The recommendation to go ahead with the purchase came from the Joint Services Committee, which looks after services, such as the Sportsplex, that are jointly provided by

the municipality and Wells Gray Country (Area A) of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.

As such, the $10,000 would be shared between District of Clearwater and Area A.

Council approves new dehumidifier

A recommendation from the Joint Services Committee that a new dehumidifier be purchased for the curling rink also received approval.

There was some discussion about how viable the Wells Gray Curling Club will be in the long term, because of declining membership.

However, chief administra-

tive officer Leslie Groulx point-ed out that the dehumidifier unit also would be usable for the hockey arena.

The two units in arena are already past their expected life spans.

“If we don’t use it in the curling rink, we could use it in the hockey arena,” she said.

Lack of a working dehumidifier means staff must shave the ice once a week, sometimes working overtime.

This costs about $80 per week. Cost of a new dehumidifier would be between $10,000 and $17,000.

A central dehumidi-

fier system would cost about $140,000, Groulx said.

A maintenance company has offered to look at the existing dehumidifier in the curling rink and see if it can be repaired, she noted.

Councillor Ken Kjenstad spoke in favor of buying a new unit for the curling club.

“It might or might not be a dying club but if they don't have good ice it will die for sure,” he said.

Times Staff

Although electric power reliability in the North Thompson is below the provincial average, it is compa-rable other areas of the province similarly situated away from major load center, BC Hydro spokesperson Dag Sharman said in a recent letter to MLA Terry Lake.

The provincial power utility therefore has no plans regarding a back-up diesel power supply for the area, he said.

“We must balance the needs of all BC Hydro custom-ers in determining the allocation of capital resources and the resultant impact on customer rates,” he said.

BC Hydro is considering options such as increased clearing of vegetation and sustainment of the existing transmission and distribution system.

This would be part of an evaluation of the Valley's power supply reliability and identifying any potential remedies.

The spokesperson pointed out that options such as these can improve reliability without necessarily adding to the infrastructure and do not require major capital costs.

BC Hydro is currently conducting a system impact study into Kinder Morgan's request for increased load in the North Thompson, Sharman said.

The increased capacity would be need for Kinder Morgan's proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

“While it is too early to confirm requirements or spe-cific plans, one of the alternatives being studied is a new 138 kV transmission line reinforcement for the area,” the spokesperson said.

Details of any new power line, including where it would connect to the existing North Thompson transmis-sion line, have not been finalized.

A copy of Sharman's letter was released during the Dec. 17 Clearwater town council meeting.

BC Hydro studying power upgrades

New backdrop curtains for Sportsplex on the way

Members of the North Thompson Community Chorus perform during a presentation called Christmas Carols Through the Ages in the Clear-water ski hill lodge on Dec. 20. The presentation included the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah. Photo by Keith McNeill

Christmas Carols Through the Ages

What’s Happening

Civic address: 132 Station RoadBox 157, Clearwater,B.C. V0E 1N0

Of� ce hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 - 4:30District Of� ce Ph: 250-674-2257 • Fax: 250-674-2173

email address: [email protected]

DISTRICT OF CLEARWATER www.districtofclearwater.com

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Roundabout Open House The District of Clearwater will be holding a public informational open house to discuss a proposal to construct a roundabout at the existing intersection of Highway 5 and Clearwater Valley Road and Park Drive. Representatives from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be present to explain how a roundabout works, give statistics and answer questions. The Open House will be held between 2:00pm-4:00pm and between 6:00 to 8:00pm Wednesday March 7th, 2012 at the Clearwater Secondary School Pit. Your input will guide our decisions. 2012-2016 Financial Plan Public Input The District of Clearwater is preparing its Five Year Financial Plan for the period of 2012-2016 and would like public input. Members of the community are encouraged to contribute input at any meeting or by dropping information at the District office or email Sheila Thiessen, Director of Finance at [email protected]. There will a public presentation of the Draft Financial Plan on April 3rd, 2012. District Grant in Aid Policy The Council of the District of Clearwater recognizes the value to the community of local clubs, groups, nonprofit organizations and charities. Applications for grants-in-aid must be made in writing addressed to the Finance and Audit Committee by April 30th, each calendar year in which the grant is required. The application shall state the reason for the request and a brief outline of the consequences if the grant is not approved. All grant applications shall declare requests that have been made to other governments/agencies the amounts applied for and the amount expected to be received. Grant in Aid forms are available at the District office. ICBC/Motor Vehicle “Insuring your teens? Make sure you have the right coverage” Did you know, ICBC offers an Excess Special Equipment endorsement? It insures permanently attached non-manufacturer's equipment worth more than $5,000, or permanently attached sound and communication equipment worth more than $1,000 for most passenger and light commercial vehicles. Historical Photos The District of Clearwater is looking for old photos depicting the Municipal Hall and other landmarks of Clearwater. Bring your old photos in and we will scan and return immediately. The best ones will be put up on the website. Items to Note

Interior Crisis Line - 1-888-353-CARE (2273). Call2Recycle box recycling batteries and cell phones at the District office

Pitch-In Canada Week – ‘Clean Sweep’ April 23-30, 2012

Upcoming Events March 7th – Roundabout Open House March 9th – Raft Mountain Skating Club – Dr. Seuss & Friends performance May 12th - Household Hazardous Waste Round up May 13th - “Free” Dump Day at Clearwater Landfill Upcoming Meetings of Council March 6th, 2012 – Parks and Recreation meeting – 5:00pm March 6th, 2012 – Regular Council meeting – 7:00pm March 20th, 2012 – Economic Development meeting – 5:00pm March 20th, 2012 – Regular Council meeting – 7:00pm

DISTRICT OF CLEARWATER www.districtofclearwater.com

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Clearwater Transit Bus Clearwater Transit Bus will be offering a second run to Kamloops every week. Starting on January 7th, 2014 the Clearwater Transit Kamloops Bus will be running Tuesday’s and Thursday’s of every week. For more information call 250.674.3935. Community Recreation Brochure The Community Recreation Brochure has been mailed out with new programming for the winter. You can register at the District office for a program you are interested in. If you did not receive a brochure in your mail box there are copies available at the District office. Seniors Mobility Workshop - YOU ARE INVITED! Are you interested in learning about the mobility challenges identified by seniors and older adults in Clearwater? Join us for a 1 day workshop on January 17th, 2014 from 10am to 2.30pm at the CRC and hear what’s been learned and give your input on what you see as important as the community “moves” forward into better mobility! RSVP by January 10th to Shelley Sim. FMI> [email protected] or 250 674 3286. Limited to 35 participants so RSVP early!

Road Maintenance Contacts District of Clearwater Municipal Roads The areas within the boundaries are the responsibility of the District of Clearwater and the contractor Borrow Enterprises Ltd. - Please call 250.674.8776 for road maintenance. The area outside the boundaries are the responsibility of Argo Maintenance including Yellowhead Highway #5 and Clearwater Valley Road – Please call Argo Road Maintenance at 1.800.661.2025 District office news

If you are in need of a “Snow Angel” or wish to be a “Snow Angel” call or drop in to the District office, phone 250.674.2257 or email: [email protected] .

The District has begun to prepare the 2014-2018 Five Year Financial Plan and is looking for public input. Please forward any suggestions or comments to Sheila Thiessen, Director of Finance at [email protected].

Upcoming Events January 24-26 – Winter Festival January 19th – Rotary Ice Man Days (weather permitting) Upcoming Meetings of Council January 7th, 2014 – Economic Development/Finance and Audit Committee meeting – 5:00pm January 7th, 2014 – Regular Council meeting – 7:00pm January 21st, 2014 – Infrastructure and Parks and Recreation Committee meeting – 5:00pm January 21st, 2014 – Regular Council Meeting – 7:00pm

CONTACT US TO DISCUSS• Your goals and dreams

• Your issues and obstacles• Your success and quality of life

BRUCE MARTIN & ASSOCIATESBUSINESS ADVISERS & CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

Clearwater (250) 674-2112 Kamloops (250) 374-5908

It’s not what you earn, it’s what you keep

www.brucemartin.ca


Editor, The Times: MONTREAL, QC/

Troy Media/ - Adapt or leave: the stakes of fitting in are high if you`re a girl in rural Canada. With urbanization rates continuing to rise, the need to create thriv-ing rural communities in Canada has never been greater.

Rural girls need reasons to stay. But according to newly released research on rural girls' and young women`s issues in Canada, being a rural girl often means facing challenges that are off the radar for those liv-ing in cities.

It can mean having few female role models to inspire dreams. It can mean increased social pressures like staying quiet, not seek-ing help for depression because news spreads fast in a rural com-munity, or not telling

anyone that you've been raped.

Growing up rural can also have many benefits for girls, like tight knit communi-ties, extended families, the chance to learn hands-on skills, a less stressful lifestyle and opportunities to make deep connections with people and the land. These are good rea-sons to stay. In fact, one in five Canadian women lives in rural areas, although these numbers are a far cry from a century ago.

Today, however, liv-ing in one of Canada's geographically isolated communities means fewer services that are harder to access. Think lack of trans-portation from one location to another, or having access to only one nurse and one social worker for an entire community.

Lack of services

has an especially huge impact on girls. According to Justice Canada, violence is one of the biggest issues for girls and young women in rural settings. Because of their isolated or remote locations, girls often lack access to rides, rely on hitch-hiking as a means of transportation, or stay out all night – all of which puts them at risk. If violence occurs, by peers or in the family setting, girls rarely have access to a shelter and too often face shaming and community silence.

Health is a con-cern for rural girls. According to Statistics Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Information, rural and northern girls are more likely to smoke and drink, have higher rates of suicide, and have poorer men-

tal health made worse by the remoteness of their location. The mortality rate for rural girls is double the rate for those in urban areas.

With such over-whelming challenges, it's no wonder youth are deciding or feel forced to leave rural areas.

At the same time, newly gathered research and case stud-ies show that many rural girls are trans-forming challenges into creative opportu-nities.

Gender-specific programs are sup-porting the develop-ment of rural girls' and young women's empowerment, well-being and leadership.

Take Girls Night Out, a volunteer-led initiative in Faro, Yukon, a remote com-munity of 400 people. Every single girl in town takes part in the weekly program where they meet role models, do cultural activi-ties, and talk about important subjects like sexual health.

Programs like these

are making a differ-ence – but are they enough?

Canada's rural communities are worth sustaining and young people are essential for the future.

Saman Ahsan is executive direc-

tor of Girls Action Foundation, a national non-profit advancing girls' empowerment that recently pub-lished a Compilation of Research on Rural Girls` and Young Women`s Issues.

Bob Anderson: I do. There's a good energy in the people and the area. It makes me feel con-fident that it'll be a good year.

Jim Biagioni:Yes, I think that it will be. The logging industry seems to be stabilizing a bit.

Pam Astley:It's hard to say. It couldn't get any worse.

Trevor Harder:I'm not sure. Unem-ployment is still high. Taxes keep going up. I hope it's a good year..

Gerry Martinello: I think that the progress since incorporation has shown the possibility of a light at the end of the tunnel ... there's just a curve in the tunnel.?Do you think

2014 will be a good year for the North Thompson

Valley?

Questionof the Week

B.C. will thrive if it's governed for the middleEditor, The Times:

I once had a boss who was fond of saying, "All you find in the middle of the road are yellow lines and dead skunks." I disagree. There's a lot of common sense in the middle of the road, which is where you will find the majority of small businesses – and many, many voters, too.

The middle wants budget deficits elimi-nated as soon as possible. The middle likes the idea of paying off debt. The middle thinks taxes are high enough. The middle knows regulations should focus on the most important health and safety issues.

Red tape, including unfriendly and unhelpful government service, should be minimized.

When the small business "middle" thrives, the entire middle class thrives.

So where is the middle when it comes to the B.C. government's current policy prior-

ities? Preliminary results from a pre-budget small business survey show strong support for the overall government vision of "a strong economy and a secure tomorrow."

Not surprisingly, balancing the budget and paying down debt receive strong sup-port. The middle knows today's deficits are tomorrow's taxes and tomorrow's taxes eat away their children's standard of living.

Reducing red tape is on the minds of many business owners, with concern run-ning high over the administrative problems with returning to the PST. Business owners need answers to how they are expected to apply sales-tax rules and they need those answers to be in plain English rather than bureaucratese.

Beyond the problems with administer-ing the PST, we will be recommending that Finance Minister Mike de Jong develop a plan to remove PST from machinery,

equipment, software and other business inputs that are important for increasing the productivity of a business. Taxing these inputs makes no sense and goes against the vision of a strong economy. Business owners tell us they would do three things if these taxes were lower – invest in new equipment, pay down debt and increase employee compensation.

Looming on the horizon are some big questions about natural resource develop-ment in this province. Where is the middle? They are squarely in support of further developing B.C.'s resources as long as appropriate environmental protection is in place.

As far as pipelines go, support is strong as long as Premier Christy Clark's five con-ditions, which include world-leading water and spill response, are met. There is also majority support for increasing the exports

of liquefied natural gas. As debates over pipelines heat up, it will be important that the middle is included.

These aren't just big-business, big gov-ernment, big-environment policy decisions. The middle wants its voice heard.

The B.C. election was won earlier this year by the party that talked best to the middle. Now it is getting into the business of governing – where it's easy to lose track of important priorities as they get drowned out by a cacophony from the fringes.

But unlike my old boss, I think all we find on the side of the road is broken down cars and overgrown bushes.

Govern for the middle and the province will thrive.

Laura Jones, executive vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

Time to put rural girls on the social map in Canada


It's time for the Wells Gray TRU Wilderness Center

editorial by keith mcNeill

Opinion“ Plunge into the deep without fear, with the gladness of April in your

heart.” - Rabindranath Tagore, writer and philosopher

BC Press CouncilThe Times is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the BC Press Council.Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to BC Press Council, 210 Selby St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 2R2For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org

Local woman rejects smart meter

Thompson Rivers University president Alan Shavers was in Clearwater recently, seeking input for the university's five-year strategic plan.

One element of that plan that we would like to see go ahead would be the proposed education and research center for Wells Gray Park.

The structure was to have been built in 2013 but delays in getting permits plus other problems caused it to be put back until next year.

For the Wells Gray TRU Wilderness Center not to be constructed in 2014, the 75th anniversary year of Wells Gray Park, would be a shame and a waste.

The proposed education and research center would be a benefit to TRU in a number of ways.

The park is essentially a very large and unspoiled watershed. It contains a wide variety of ecosystems, all largely untouched by human beings. There are animals such as wolves and wolverines that do not do well anywhere close to people. There are a number of unusual volcanic features as well.

There is also a tradition of research in the park, perhaps most notably the work done on moose and other ungulates by Ralph Ritcey in the 1950s.

This tradition has been carried on by people such as Trevor Goward with lichens and Cathie Hickson with volcanoes.

All the research work done to date in Wells Gray Park is presently being collected and made accessible electronically.

TRU (formerly Caribou College) has operated a small education and research center for the park in the former Upper Clearwater schoolhouse since 1992.

Despite the primitive nature of the facilities, the college and now TRU has documented about 15,000 user-days by over 1,200 different users.

The Wells Gray TRU Wilderness Center would benefit the residents of the Wells Gray/Clearwater area as well as the university.

The viability and success of any community these days is largely dependent on the education and training level of its inhabitants.

We don't all have to be academics or intellectu-als, but we do all need to be very good at whatever it is we do for a living – and we need to be con-stantly improving.

The proposed education and research center would attract world class scientists to this area – and those people would be working on problems with direct connections to where we live.

There seems to be an unfortunate percep-tion by some that the proposed Wells Gray TRU Wilderness Center would be in opposition to the local forest industry.

This perception is in contrast to that of a for-mer provincial politician a number of years ago. He favored upgrading the existing education and research center as the first step to converting Wells Gray Park into a research forest – a forest that could be logged to test various harvesting tech-niques.

We don't favor either the log-it-all or the preser-vationist lock-it-up approach.

The proposed Wells Gray TRU Wilderness Center would be an asset to the university and to the people of this area. Let's make it happen in 2014.

74 young Road, Unit 14 Brookfi eld Mall, Clearwater, BC V0E 1N2Phone: 250-674-3343 Fax: 250-674-3410Email: [email protected]

Publisher: Al KirkwoodEditor: Keith McNeillOffi ce manager: Yevonne Cline

www.clearwatertimes.com

Established September 23, 1964Member, BC Press Council

TH

E

NORTH THOMPSON


TH

ETimesWe acknowledge the fi nancial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Subscribe to the TimesIn Town / Out of Town Rates1 year $57.75; 2 years $110.25Prices include GST

Editor, The Times:We have been hounded by BC

Hydro to get a smart meter. We do not want it but I get repeated phone calls and letters from Hydro!

I am not willing to pay $35 a month when my meter is not going to be read every month. I am will-ing to pay a $35 for the one time it is going to be read every two months.

I can and have over the years read my own meter when good old Hydro has screwed up the reading.

I do not take kindly to be threatened. The old couple I look after have also been threatened that they would have their power shut off.

Fay JonesVavenby, B.C.

Editor, The Times: Clearwater Royal Canadian

Legion Branch 259 decided at its meeting on Dec. 16 to hold a pan-cake and sausage breakfast.

Breakfasts will be once a month beginning on Saturday Jan. 25, 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. at the Legion building.

Proceeds will be shared with the Legion and Food Bank. The price for the sausage breakfast will be

announced in an ad in the Times and on posters around town.

We also ask that you bring a donation for the Food Bank of canned goods or a cash donation to help them fill up their shelves after the Christmas rush. The needs of the Food Bank don't end at Christmas.

For more info call 250-587-6463.Joanne Mackenzie

Legion Branch 259

Legion plans monthly breakfasts

Smart meters are a local issueEditor, The Times:

The BC Hydro Smart Meter debacle is a local issue. I have opted out of the Smart Meter pro-gram and it has been a fight to keep my analog meter.

Now we are being bullied as the last of us hold out. We are being told that we will have to pay an additional $35 per month to keep our old meter.

I will not enter into a contact with BC Hydro for this. We have been sent letters on 4 differ-ent occasions and told we must submit to their demands. There have also been phone calls.

Here is a photo I took this morning of our ana-log meter.

The BC Utilities Commission has issued an interim agreement to allow the $35 fee increase. This is a form of manipulation as many people will just give in for fear of having this cost added to their already stretched budgets.

I am not sure what the Clearwater Times can

do but it would be good to open the dialog on this so people can see that there are options to being forced to accept the new meters against their wishes!

Another good person to speak with about this is Cathy Thomson in Kamloops. She is my dentist's wife and is a vocal opponent and advocate for better health and wellbeing via non-electromag-netic radiation.

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

Suzanne FosterClearwater, B.C.

Photo shows letter writer's analog electric meter decorated with a Christmas wreath. Photo submitted


Editor, The Times: MONTREAL, QC/

Troy Media/ - Adapt or leave: the stakes of fitting in are high if you`re a girl in rural Canada. With urbanization rates continuing to rise, the need to create thriv-ing rural communities in Canada has never been greater.

Rural girls need reasons to stay. But according to newly released research on rural girls' and young women`s issues in Canada, being a rural girl often means facing challenges that are off the radar for those liv-ing in cities.

It can mean having few female role models to inspire dreams. It can mean increased social pressures like staying quiet, not seek-ing help for depression because news spreads fast in a rural com-munity, or not telling

anyone that you've been raped.

Growing up rural can also have many benefits for girls, like tight knit communi-ties, extended families, the chance to learn hands-on skills, a less stressful lifestyle and opportunities to make deep connections with people and the land. These are good rea-sons to stay. In fact, one in five Canadian women lives in rural areas, although these numbers are a far cry from a century ago.

Today, however, liv-ing in one of Canada's geographically isolated communities means fewer services that are harder to access. Think lack of trans-portation from one location to another, or having access to only one nurse and one social worker for an entire community.

Lack of services

has an especially huge impact on girls. According to Justice Canada, violence is one of the biggest issues for girls and young women in rural settings. Because of their isolated or remote locations, girls often lack access to rides, rely on hitch-hiking as a means of transportation, or stay out all night – all of which puts them at risk. If violence occurs, by peers or in the family setting, girls rarely have access to a shelter and too often face shaming and community silence.

Health is a con-cern for rural girls. According to Statistics Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Information, rural and northern girls are more likely to smoke and drink, have higher rates of suicide, and have poorer men-

tal health made worse by the remoteness of their location. The mortality rate for rural girls is double the rate for those in urban areas.

With such over-whelming challenges, it's no wonder youth are deciding or feel forced to leave rural areas.

At the same time, newly gathered research and case stud-ies show that many rural girls are trans-forming challenges into creative opportu-nities.

Gender-specific programs are sup-porting the develop-ment of rural girls' and young women's empowerment, well-being and leadership.

Take Girls Night Out, a volunteer-led initiative in Faro, Yukon, a remote com-munity of 400 people. Every single girl in town takes part in the weekly program where they meet role models, do cultural activi-ties, and talk about important subjects like sexual health.

Programs like these

are making a differ-ence – but are they enough?

Canada's rural communities are worth sustaining and young people are essential for the future.

Saman Ahsan is executive direc-

tor of Girls Action Foundation, a national non-profit advancing girls' empowerment that recently pub-lished a Compilation of Research on Rural Girls` and Young Women`s Issues.

Bob Anderson: I do. There's a good energy in the people and the area. It makes me feel con-fident that it'll be a good year.

Jim Biagioni:Yes, I think that it will be. The logging industry seems to be stabilizing a bit.

Pam Astley:It's hard to say. It couldn't get any worse.

Trevor Harder:I'm not sure. Unem-ployment is still high. Taxes keep going up. I hope it's a good year..

Gerry Martinello: I think that the progress since incorporation has shown the possibility of a light at the end of the tunnel ... there's just a curve in the tunnel.?Do you think

2014 will be a good year for the North Thompson

Valley?

Questionof the Week

B.C. will thrive if it's governed for the middleEditor, The Times:

I once had a boss who was fond of saying, "All you find in the middle of the road are yellow lines and dead skunks." I disagree. There's a lot of common sense in the middle of the road, which is where you will find the majority of small businesses – and many, many voters, too.

The middle wants budget deficits elimi-nated as soon as possible. The middle likes the idea of paying off debt. The middle thinks taxes are high enough. The middle knows regulations should focus on the most important health and safety issues.

Red tape, including unfriendly and unhelpful government service, should be minimized.

When the small business "middle" thrives, the entire middle class thrives.

So where is the middle when it comes to the B.C. government's current policy prior-

ities? Preliminary results from a pre-budget small business survey show strong support for the overall government vision of "a strong economy and a secure tomorrow."

Not surprisingly, balancing the budget and paying down debt receive strong sup-port. The middle knows today's deficits are tomorrow's taxes and tomorrow's taxes eat away their children's standard of living.

Reducing red tape is on the minds of many business owners, with concern run-ning high over the administrative problems with returning to the PST. Business owners need answers to how they are expected to apply sales-tax rules and they need those answers to be in plain English rather than bureaucratese.

Beyond the problems with administer-ing the PST, we will be recommending that Finance Minister Mike de Jong develop a plan to remove PST from machinery,

equipment, software and other business inputs that are important for increasing the productivity of a business. Taxing these inputs makes no sense and goes against the vision of a strong economy. Business owners tell us they would do three things if these taxes were lower – invest in new equipment, pay down debt and increase employee compensation.

Looming on the horizon are some big questions about natural resource develop-ment in this province. Where is the middle? They are squarely in support of further developing B.C.'s resources as long as appropriate environmental protection is in place.

As far as pipelines go, support is strong as long as Premier Christy Clark's five con-ditions, which include world-leading water and spill response, are met. There is also majority support for increasing the exports

of liquefied natural gas. As debates over pipelines heat up, it will be important that the middle is included.

These aren't just big-business, big gov-ernment, big-environment policy decisions. The middle wants its voice heard.

The B.C. election was won earlier this year by the party that talked best to the middle. Now it is getting into the business of governing – where it's easy to lose track of important priorities as they get drowned out by a cacophony from the fringes.

But unlike my old boss, I think all we find on the side of the road is broken down cars and overgrown bushes.

Govern for the middle and the province will thrive.

Laura Jones, executive vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

Time to put rural girls on the social map in Canada


It's time for the Wells Gray TRU Wilderness Center

editorial by keith mcNeill

Opinion“ Plunge into the deep without fear, with the gladness of April in your

heart.” - Rabindranath Tagore, writer and philosopher

BC Press CouncilThe Times is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the BC Press Council.Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to BC Press Council, 210 Selby St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 2R2For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org

Local woman rejects smart meter

Thompson Rivers University president Alan Shavers was in Clearwater recently, seeking input for the university's five-year strategic plan.

One element of that plan that we would like to see go ahead would be the proposed education and research center for Wells Gray Park.

The structure was to have been built in 2013 but delays in getting permits plus other problems caused it to be put back until next year.

For the Wells Gray TRU Wilderness Center not to be constructed in 2014, the 75th anniversary year of Wells Gray Park, would be a shame and a waste.

The proposed education and research center would be a benefit to TRU in a number of ways.

The park is essentially a very large and unspoiled watershed. It contains a wide variety of ecosystems, all largely untouched by human beings. There are animals such as wolves and wolverines that do not do well anywhere close to people. There are a number of unusual volcanic features as well.

There is also a tradition of research in the park, perhaps most notably the work done on moose and other ungulates by Ralph Ritcey in the 1950s.

This tradition has been carried on by people such as Trevor Goward with lichens and Cathie Hickson with volcanoes.

All the research work done to date in Wells Gray Park is presently being collected and made accessible electronically.

TRU (formerly Caribou College) has operated a small education and research center for the park in the former Upper Clearwater schoolhouse since 1992.

Despite the primitive nature of the facilities, the college and now TRU has documented about 15,000 user-days by over 1,200 different users.

The Wells Gray TRU Wilderness Center would benefit the residents of the Wells Gray/Clearwater area as well as the university.

The viability and success of any community these days is largely dependent on the education and training level of its inhabitants.

We don't all have to be academics or intellectu-als, but we do all need to be very good at whatever it is we do for a living – and we need to be con-stantly improving.

The proposed education and research center would attract world class scientists to this area – and those people would be working on problems with direct connections to where we live.

There seems to be an unfortunate percep-tion by some that the proposed Wells Gray TRU Wilderness Center would be in opposition to the local forest industry.

This perception is in contrast to that of a for-mer provincial politician a number of years ago. He favored upgrading the existing education and research center as the first step to converting Wells Gray Park into a research forest – a forest that could be logged to test various harvesting tech-niques.

We don't favor either the log-it-all or the preser-vationist lock-it-up approach.

The proposed Wells Gray TRU Wilderness Center would be an asset to the university and to the people of this area. Let's make it happen in 2014.

74 young Road, Unit 14 Brookfi eld Mall, Clearwater, BC V0E 1N2Phone: 250-674-3343 Fax: 250-674-3410Email: [email protected]

Publisher: Al KirkwoodEditor: Keith McNeillOffi ce manager: Yevonne Cline


Established September 23, 1964Member, BC Press Council

TH

E

NORTH THOMPSON


TH

ETimesWe acknowledge the fi nancial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Subscribe to the TimesIn Town / Out of Town Rates1 year $57.75; 2 years $110.25Prices include GST

Editor, The Times:We have been hounded by BC

Hydro to get a smart meter. We do not want it but I get repeated phone calls and letters from Hydro!

I am not willing to pay $35 a month when my meter is not going to be read every month. I am will-ing to pay a $35 for the one time it is going to be read every two months.

I can and have over the years read my own meter when good old Hydro has screwed up the reading.

I do not take kindly to be threatened. The old couple I look after have also been threatened that they would have their power shut off.

Fay JonesVavenby, B.C.

Editor, The Times: Clearwater Royal Canadian

Legion Branch 259 decided at its meeting on Dec. 16 to hold a pan-cake and sausage breakfast.

Breakfasts will be once a month beginning on Saturday Jan. 25, 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. at the Legion building.

Proceeds will be shared with the Legion and Food Bank. The price for the sausage breakfast will be

announced in an ad in the Times and on posters around town.

We also ask that you bring a donation for the Food Bank of canned goods or a cash donation to help them fill up their shelves after the Christmas rush. The needs of the Food Bank don't end at Christmas.

For more info call 250-587-6463.Joanne Mackenzie

Legion Branch 259

Legion plans monthly breakfasts

Smart meters are a local issueEditor, The Times:

The BC Hydro Smart Meter debacle is a local issue. I have opted out of the Smart Meter pro-gram and it has been a fight to keep my analog meter.

Now we are being bullied as the last of us hold out. We are being told that we will have to pay an additional $35 per month to keep our old meter.

I will not enter into a contact with BC Hydro for this. We have been sent letters on 4 differ-ent occasions and told we must submit to their demands. There have also been phone calls.

Here is a photo I took this morning of our ana-log meter.

The BC Utilities Commission has issued an interim agreement to allow the $35 fee increase. This is a form of manipulation as many people will just give in for fear of having this cost added to their already stretched budgets.

I am not sure what the Clearwater Times can

do but it would be good to open the dialog on this so people can see that there are options to being forced to accept the new meters against their wishes!

Another good person to speak with about this is Cathy Thomson in Kamloops. She is my dentist's wife and is a vocal opponent and advocate for better health and wellbeing via non-electromag-netic radiation.

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

Suzanne FosterClearwater, B.C.

Photo shows letter writer's analog electric meter decorated with a Christmas wreath. Photo submitted

HOME TOWN girl with HOME TOWN service

DINNER IS ON ME I will buy you a $100 meal when you buy a car from me!

Big city selection with small town pricing

DEARBORN FORD Jody Gyger CELL 250-571-9609 Tel 250-372-71012555 East Trans Canada Hwy - Kamloops

2014 Thompson-Nicola Regional District Board of Directors Regular Meetings

are scheduled for 1:15 pm on the following Thursdays in the Boardroom of the TNRD Civic Building located at

300 – 465 Victoria Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2A9.

January 16 and 30February 20March 13 and 27April 17May 8 and 22June 19July 17August 21 – Out of Town, location TBASeptember 18October 9 and 23November 6 and 20December 11 – at 7:00 pm


45 YEARS AGO:Mr. and Mrs. A.

Schmitz narrowly escaped drowning after he fell in the river while getting a pail of water from the ice's edge. She went to help and also fell in. They were rescued by Casimir Eustache, who heard the screams and got them out with a rope and board.

Twenty-seven cars in the middle of a freight train derailed near the Clearwater railway sta-tion, blocking the CNR mainline.

Two houses and their contents were totally destroyed by fire. On Dec. 31, the residence of Mr. and Mrs. George Heustis burned beside their laundromat. The family was visiting in Seattle at the time. About 30 men from the new volunteer fire depart-ment shovelled snow and used garden hoses to save the laundromat

and pool room build-ings. Then on Jan. 3 the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ove Simonsen burned down. It was located between the Golden Spur store and the Blackpool ferry. The couple had been married the previous August.

"Sno-Drifters" was to be the official name of a snowmobile club recently organized in Clearwater. The name was chosen during a meeting of 16 inter-ested persons at Ted Mackenzie's on Jan. 5.

40 YEARS AGO:B.C. was to revert to

Daylight Saving Time three months early. The move was blamed on an apparent energy crisis.

Over 230 contes-tants came from as far away as Fort St. James, Grande Prairie, Edmonton and Calgary to take part in two days of racing hosted by Clearwater Sno-Drifters

35 YEARS AGO:A television spe-

cial about Clearwater resident Ida Dekelver's proposal to have Trophy Mountains declared an ecological reserve was creating some local interest and controversy. The Dekelvers had raised sheep and trapped on the mountain.

A letter to the editor from Mergle Smergle, director of public relations for the Society for the Protection of Domestic Vegetables, was asking readers to consider the fate of the poor potato, torn relentlessly from the nurturing earth and

then plunged into boil-ing water until its skin splits from its body.

30 YEARS AGO:Little remained of

a house on Webber Road in Clearwater after it had suddenly been engulfed in flame the evening of Dec. 20. Firemen had responded to a chimney and house-fire at the resi-dence the night before.

25 YEARS AGO:Police reported that

a moose left the scene with the word "Toyota" written across its back-side after it ran in front of a vehicle near Avola on Highway 5. Damage to the vehicle, driven by

an Edmonton man, was estimated at $2,000.

Darfield Building Products, owned by partners Gary Burkholder and Paul Schilling, was featured in a special article. Small sawmills pro-duce more value and employment than the larger mills, but timber supply was a problem, said Burkholder.

Clearwater ski hill averaged over 200 tick-ets sold per day over the holiday season, said hill manager Bruce Macintosh.

20 YEARS AGO:Traveling too fast

for road conditions resulted in injuries to eight persons when a van carrying 10 members of two Edmonton families left Highway 5 just north of Vavenby. Police said the accident was a vivid reminder of an accident the previous November in which three young boys had been killed when the van their father was

driving left the high-way at Vavenby.

Other accidents occurred south of Little Fort, south of Vavenby, at the bot-tom of Birch Island hill, Messiter summit, and north of Avola.

15 YEARS AGO:Due to a lim-

ited debarker, only about 10 per cent of Weyerhaeuser-Vavenby’s sawmill production was burned wood from the Elevator Fire, said division manager Dave Hay. This compared to 100 per cent burned wood at Kamloops.

10 YEARS AGO:A carload of partic-

ipants from Clearwater brought home more than its share of prizes from Little Fort's Polar Bear Swim. Angelica Monge, a Rotary exchange stu-dent from Mexico, won the prize for youngest female swim-mer, only to find that another rider in the car, Janel Radmacher, was younger. “They settled it on the ride home,” said Frank Ritcey, winner of the oldest male participant award.

5 YEARS AGO:A propane leak

caused the evacua-tion of Brookfield Mall on Saturday, Dec. 27. According to Clearwater Volunteer Fire Department spokesperson Guy Holland, an overhang-ing roof collapsed, damaging a nearby pro-pane line.

Clearwater residents experienced unusually extreme weather condi-tions during December, including heavier snow-fall and lower than average temperatures.

1 YEAR AGO:Vancouver

Foundation approved a $230,000 grant for a project in Clearwater to be called From Front Door to Grocery Store: Getting Seniors Where They Want To Be. District of Clearwater had worked with UNBC to develop the grant application.

A letter to the editor from Laura Soles, wife of Dr. John Soles, com-mented on remarks by former Clearwater phy-sician Dr. Bob Woollard that being the spouse of a rural doctor was the worst job in the world. “I consider it a privilege to be the spouse of a rural doctor,” she wrote.

HISTORICAL Perspect i ve

BACK IN TIME

6 - 7

Memories of Upper ClearwaterUpper Clearwater pioneer Mary Johnson listens to the North Thompson Choir directed by Leah Jones at the Upper Clearwater Hall on Saturday, Dec. 21. Johnson recalls many events she had taken part in over the years at the hall. At one time children were put to bed in bunk beds in the back while parents enjoyed dancing. She said her favorite dance was the heel and toe polka, which was the first dance she learned. Wells Gray Country Seniors Society sponsored a bus to the festive event.Photo by Sandra Holmes

ADVERTISERS!It’s been 137 years since Alexander Graham

Bell first invented the telephone in 1876.

And guess what?

It’s still the best way for your customers to find you and give you their business.

Ph 250-672-5611and reserve your space.

Ph 250-674-3343and reserve your space.

Ad Deadline: January 27, 2014

Publication Date: February 27, 2014

Don’t miss out on the 18th annual

North Thompson Telephone Directory

and keep that business phone

ringing all year long!


By Tom Fletcher, Black Press

BC Hydro's impo-sition of manual meter reading fees has persuaded most holdouts to accept a wireless smart meter.

BC Hydro imposed a $35 monthly fee starting Dec. 1 for customers who refuse to part with their mechani-cal electricity meters, after offering the 68,000 customers who still had them the option of accept-ing the new meter with the radio trans-

mission function on or off.

BC Hydro reported the results recently to the B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC), which is reviewing the fees. More than 48,000 customers chose the smart meter to avoid the meter reading fee. Another 450 chose the radio-off meter, which comes with a $100 setup fee and $20 a month starting April 1 to cover costs of collecting read-ings.

Another 6,270 customers chose to

keep their mechanical meters, and 13,110 more did not respond to BC Hydro's let-ters, so they will have the $35 fee added to their bills until they choose another option.

BC Hydro reports that 99 per cent of its customers now have the wireless meter. Most of those have been switched to automated bill-ing, and have their daily electricity use displayed on their online account pages.

Claims of health effects from wireless

meter transmissions have been rejected by health authori-ties, and also by the BCUC in a review of FortisBC's wire-less meter program. BCUC found that the radio frequency signal from a bank of smart meters is less than 10 per cent of the natural back-ground level, and a tiny fraction of the exposure from a cel-lular phone.

Citizens for Safe Technology, one of the more active opponents of the wireless grid, was

represented at the FortisBC hearings by Donald Maisch. BCUC rejected

Maisch's claims of health hazards, not-ing that Maisch's "consulting liveli-

hood depends on public fears and concerns about radio frequency exposure."

6 - 7

Keith McNeill

Until now, Clearwater Improvement District and then District of Clearwater has had nine separate rolls for its water parcel taxes.

As each stage as the commu-nity’s water system was expanded,

a new tax roll was established so the residents benefiting could pay down the debt incurred.

As of 2013 all the outstanding debt related to the water system has been retired, director of finance Sheila Thiessen reported to town council on Dec. 17.

On her recommendation, coun-

cil decided to direct staff to draft two bylaws for levying parcel taxes for the water and sewer systems.

“Parcel taxes enable the District to collect from all the potential users of the utility,” she said, “as opposed to user fees, which can only be collected from those properties that are actually

connected to the system.”This helps the municipality

maintain and improve the system so that it is sustainable and ready for property owners when they chose to connect.

That portion of parcel taxes that are currently being paid but not related to debt servicing are

presently $80 per parcel for the water system and $30 per parcel for the sewer system.

More than 100 properties are currently exempt from parcel taxes.

Changes to the parcel taxes would require the establishment of a three-person review panel.

District of Clearwater reviewing parcel taxes

Forming a human chain

Teacher Doreen Allan (centre) directs students as they form a chain to transfer items for Christmas hampers from Clearwater Food Bank to Raft River Elemen-tary School on Friday afternoon, Dec. 19. The hampers were assembled on Friday for pick up on Saturday. Allan's grade 4/5 class also had a sub sandwich sale on Thursday to raise money for the food bank. Teacher Sheila McQuarrie's social jus-tice group painted and sold bird houses to raise money for the hospice society.

Students from Raft River Elementary School form a human chain to transfer items for Christmas ham-pers from Clearwater Food Bank to the school on Dec. 19.Photos by Keith McNeill

Fees persuade most smart meter holdouts


45 YEARS AGO:Mr. and Mrs. A.

Schmitz narrowly escaped drowning after he fell in the river while getting a pail of water from the ice's edge. She went to help and also fell in. They were rescued by Casimir Eustache, who heard the screams and got them out with a rope and board.

Twenty-seven cars in the middle of a freight train derailed near the Clearwater railway sta-tion, blocking the CNR mainline.

Two houses and their contents were totally destroyed by fire. On Dec. 31, the residence of Mr. and Mrs. George Heustis burned beside their laundromat. The family was visiting in Seattle at the time. About 30 men from the new volunteer fire depart-ment shovelled snow and used garden hoses to save the laundromat

and pool room build-ings. Then on Jan. 3 the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ove Simonsen burned down. It was located between the Golden Spur store and the Blackpool ferry. The couple had been married the previous August.

"Sno-Drifters" was to be the official name of a snowmobile club recently organized in Clearwater. The name was chosen during a meeting of 16 inter-ested persons at Ted Mackenzie's on Jan. 5.

40 YEARS AGO:B.C. was to revert to

Daylight Saving Time three months early. The move was blamed on an apparent energy crisis.

Over 230 contes-tants came from as far away as Fort St. James, Grande Prairie, Edmonton and Calgary to take part in two days of racing hosted by Clearwater Sno-Drifters

35 YEARS AGO:A television spe-

cial about Clearwater resident Ida Dekelver's proposal to have Trophy Mountains declared an ecological reserve was creating some local interest and controversy. The Dekelvers had raised sheep and trapped on the mountain.

A letter to the editor from Mergle Smergle, director of public relations for the Society for the Protection of Domestic Vegetables, was asking readers to consider the fate of the poor potato, torn relentlessly from the nurturing earth and

then plunged into boil-ing water until its skin splits from its body.

30 YEARS AGO:Little remained of

a house on Webber Road in Clearwater after it had suddenly been engulfed in flame the evening of Dec. 20. Firemen had responded to a chimney and house-fire at the resi-dence the night before.

25 YEARS AGO:Police reported that

a moose left the scene with the word "Toyota" written across its back-side after it ran in front of a vehicle near Avola on Highway 5. Damage to the vehicle, driven by

an Edmonton man, was estimated at $2,000.

Darfield Building Products, owned by partners Gary Burkholder and Paul Schilling, was featured in a special article. Small sawmills pro-duce more value and employment than the larger mills, but timber supply was a problem, said Burkholder.

Clearwater ski hill averaged over 200 tick-ets sold per day over the holiday season, said hill manager Bruce Macintosh.

20 YEARS AGO:Traveling too fast

for road conditions resulted in injuries to eight persons when a van carrying 10 members of two Edmonton families left Highway 5 just north of Vavenby. Police said the accident was a vivid reminder of an accident the previous November in which three young boys had been killed when the van their father was

driving left the high-way at Vavenby.

Other accidents occurred south of Little Fort, south of Vavenby, at the bot-tom of Birch Island hill, Messiter summit, and north of Avola.

15 YEARS AGO:Due to a lim-

ited debarker, only about 10 per cent of Weyerhaeuser-Vavenby’s sawmill production was burned wood from the Elevator Fire, said division manager Dave Hay. This compared to 100 per cent burned wood at Kamloops.

10 YEARS AGO:A carload of partic-

ipants from Clearwater brought home more than its share of prizes from Little Fort's Polar Bear Swim. Angelica Monge, a Rotary exchange stu-dent from Mexico, won the prize for youngest female swim-mer, only to find that another rider in the car, Janel Radmacher, was younger. “They settled it on the ride home,” said Frank Ritcey, winner of the oldest male participant award.

5 YEARS AGO:A propane leak

caused the evacua-tion of Brookfield Mall on Saturday, Dec. 27. According to Clearwater Volunteer Fire Department spokesperson Guy Holland, an overhang-ing roof collapsed, damaging a nearby pro-pane line.

Clearwater residents experienced unusually extreme weather condi-tions during December, including heavier snow-fall and lower than average temperatures.

1 YEAR AGO:Vancouver

Foundation approved a $230,000 grant for a project in Clearwater to be called From Front Door to Grocery Store: Getting Seniors Where They Want To Be. District of Clearwater had worked with UNBC to develop the grant application.

A letter to the editor from Laura Soles, wife of Dr. John Soles, com-mented on remarks by former Clearwater phy-sician Dr. Bob Woollard that being the spouse of a rural doctor was the worst job in the world. “I consider it a privilege to be the spouse of a rural doctor,” she wrote.

HISTORICAL Perspect i ve

BACK IN TIME

6 - 7

Memories of Upper ClearwaterUpper Clearwater pioneer Mary Johnson listens to the North Thompson Choir directed by Leah Jones at the Upper Clearwater Hall on Saturday, Dec. 21. Johnson recalls many events she had taken part in over the years at the hall. At one time children were put to bed in bunk beds in the back while parents enjoyed dancing. She said her favorite dance was the heel and toe polka, which was the first dance she learned. Wells Gray Country Seniors Society sponsored a bus to the festive event.Photo by Sandra Holmes

C

C

apsule

omments

with MICHELLE

LEINS

PHARMASAVEMON. - SAT. 9 - 6

BROOKFIELD CENTRE

CLEARWATER, 250-674-3122

Knowing how many calories create an extra pound of weight will sometimes help us to be more discipline in our holiday eating. if you eat an extra 500 calories per day in addition to your regular diet, you will gain an extra pound. With all the good food around at this time of year, it’s easy to see how we gain weight.

We’ve just passed the shortest day of the year. Lack of sufficient sunlight during the long winter months can affect our moods, our ability to get a good night’s sleep, our energy levels and general well-being. These are symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder and can be relieved by sitting under a special light for about 20 minutes per day. We have information about this.

If you are still a smoker, do yourself a favour and quit. Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death. The benefits of stopping begin in the first week. Your doctor will congratulate you, your spouse and friends will thank you, but most of all, your body will thank you. If you want to stop, we can help.

A big thank you to all the doctors, nurses and receptionists and you, our customers, for your help and cooperation throughout 2013. Your positive attitude toward our pharmacy and our profession is much appreciated.

Thanks, to you, our readres, for all your kind comments about the column through the year. We look forward to serving you throughout the coming year with great service from our wonderful staff. From us to you... a happy and healthy 2014.

Clearwater and District Food BankOpen: 9am to 12 noon, Mondays and Fridays

How to Donate: Cash or cheques can be dropped off at the Food Bank or by mail to 741 Clearwater Village Road,

Clearwater, BC V0E 1N1.Food Donations: dropped off at the Food Bank, Clearwater

Credit Union or at Safety MartHoliday Hours: Closed Dec 24 to Jan. 6

250-674-3402 • [email protected]

“When you need us, we’re close by”

Call Drake at 250-674-3030 or 1-877-674-3030 day or night.

When a death occurs, I’m here to help you, every step of the way. 24 hours a day, every day.If you have made pre-arrangements elsewhere and would like to discuss having your local funeral home take care of you, please feel free to call.

Drake Smith, MSW(Funeral Director/Owner)

NORTH THOMPSONFUNERAL SERVICES73 Taren Drive, Clearwater, BC, V0E 1N2


Tom Fletcher/Black Press

1. When Premier Christy Clark took the stage after her upset election win May 14, the first

thing she said was:A: I'm going to Disneyland!B: Well, that was easy!C: Oh no, now I have to pay off the debt!D: Socialism is dead!

2. How many proposed liquefied natural gas export proposals are there on the B.C. coast, according to the premier's latest esti-mate?

A: fourB: sixC: eightD: ten

3. After winning $25 million in the lot-tery, Terrace construc-tion worker Bob Erb gave six-figure dona-tions to:A. Local anti-poverty and other community groupsB. Pay for $300,000 in dental work for locals who couldn't afford it.C. Provide cars and trucks for people he considered needy.D. Sensible BC marijuana legalization campaignE. All of the above

4. How has the province said it would raise money to pay for a promised new bridge to replace the Massey Tunnel?A. Tax increasesB. Toll like the Port Mann Bridge.C. Small tolls on all Metro Vancouver bridges and major roadsD. It hasn't

5. What admis-sion to U.S. border guards did some B.C. residents find can be deemed a "crime of moral turpitude" and result in America bar-ring your entry?A. AtheismB. Past use of mari-juanaC. Past conviction for impaired drivingC. Past or present membership in the NDP

6. Which of the following wasn't pro-

posed in B.C.'s liquor law review?A: Licensing alcohol sales at farmers' mar-ketsB: Letting children into pubs with their parentsC: Serving alcohol for slot players on BC FerriesD: Selling hard liquor in grocery stores

7. Burnaby's Tung Sheng (David) Wu was convicted and jailed for performing illegal:A. ProctologyB. TaxidermyC. Electronic waste recyclingD. Dentistry

8. Since his triumph in the HST referen-dum, former premier Bill Vander Zalm has campaigned against:A: An alleged secret global surveillance system using smart metersB: An alleged secret global climate control scheme using "chem-trails"C: An alleged secret European Union plot to control world finance through con-sumption taxesD: All of the above

9. What's the trans-portation ministry's solution to prevent the new Port Mann Bridge from dropping more ice bombs onto cars?A. A system of scrap-ers and brushes along each cable to remove iceB. Aerial drones that spray the cables with de-icing solutionC. A flock of seagulls trained to peck loose

ice chunksD. Closing the bridge and waiting for ice to melt

10. What did Metro Vancouver mayors propose in 2013 as a new way to raise money for cash-strapped TransLink?A. $5 toll at the border on all vehicles heading south to the USAB. Regional sales tax of up to 0.5 per cent C. Adding magnets to new SkyTrain fare gates to suck loose change out of pocketsD. Forcing SeaBus passengers to row to help save on fuel costsE. Installing slot machines in SkyTrain stations

11. The government is considering spend-ing $6 million to stop the B.C. legislature dome from:A: CrackingB: PeelingC: TwistingD: Sinking

12. Which was not a 911 call received by E-Comm operators who begged cellphone users to be more care-ful about declaring emergencies?A. Asking who won the hockey gameB. Broken TV setC. Big spider in living roomD. Politician breaking election promise

13. B.C. pharmacies were ordered by their regulating body to stop doing what?A: Offering wine tast-ings at the pharmacy counter

B: Issuing reward points or other "kick-backs" to customers buying prescription drugsC: Refusing to sell prescribed medical marijuanaD: Refusing to act as supervised injection sites

14. In 2013, the B.C. government approved:A: Enbridge's Northern Gateway oil pipeline to KitimatB: Twinning Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain oil pipeline to BurnabyC: A pipeline to carry fuel from tankers on the Fraser River to Vancouver airportD: A pipeline to trans-port glacial water from Garibaldi Park to Squamish for export

15. The poaching of what prompted Vancouver Island aboriginal groups to post a $25,000 reward?A: Roosevelt elkB: AbaloneC: SealsD: Easter eggs

16. Which B.C. municipal council fended off a court challenge (and death threats) over its deer cull program?A: Oak BayB: CranbrookC: InvermereD: Penticton

Answers: 1-B, 2-D, 3-E, 4-D, 5-B, 6-C, 7-D, 8-D, 9-A, 10-B, 11-C, 12-D, 13-B, 14-C, 15-A, 16-C

8 - 9

OTTAWA/CNW/ - The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) applauds the announce-ment of funding for a new stra-tegic partnership to build and operate the first cellulose filament (CF) commercial demonstration plant. The announcement was made by the federal and Quebec governments at a Kruger plant in Trois-Rivières recently.

CF is a novel and high value wood-fibre based material that could be used in new "super-pulps", and for high-performance

tissue, towel, paper and packaging materials. It could also be used as a bio-material in a wide range of non-traditional applications such as reinforced plastics, non-struc-tural panels in building construc-tion and non-woven fabric. The demonstration project is possible because of research and develop-ment by FPInnovations.

"This is another great example of Canada leading the way in new innovations that will transform the forest products industry to extract more value from every

tree," says the president and CEO of FPAC, David Lindsay. "This type of ground-breaking innova-tion is supporting jobs and eco-nomic growth, especially in rural Canada."

The demonstration project is made possible with the support of $15 million from the federal Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program. FPAC has asked the government to replenish this strategic fund with $500 million over the next six years to continue to drive forward

world leading innovations that maximize jobs and value creation from Canada's forests.

"We welcome this continued support for transformation from governments. They remain a vital partner in providing the risk capital needed to ensure Canada is developing world-first tech-nologies and flourishing in world-markets over the long term," says Lindsay.

FPAC's Vision2020 for the Canadian forest products indus-try has set the goal of generating

an additional $20 billion in new products and markets by the end of the decade.

FPAC provides a voice for Canada's wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and inter-nationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. The $57-billion-a-year forest products industry represents two per cent of Canada's GDP and is one of Canada's largest employers oper-ating in hundreds of communities and providing 230,000 direct jobs across the country.

Pot and pipelines: 2013 B.C. news quiz

Forest industry lauds another world first for Canada's innovative forest research sector

2014? Resolve to keep

moving forward

Spend some time thinking about what is important to you

Define what you want, now and in the future Explore your options with an open mind Face your fears and look for ways to overcome

them Keep your eyes and ears open Take advantage of unexpected opportunities Keep learning new skills Gather information so you can make informed

decisions Follow through on your plans Take advantage of the many resources

and services available for job seekers. _________________________________________________

CLEARWATER EMPLOYMENT SERVICES CENTRE 58A Young Road, Clearwater BC V0E 1N2 Phone: 250- 674-2928 Fax: 250- 674-2938

Hours of operation: Monday through Friday 8:00 – 4:00 Email: [email protected]

www.clearwateremployment.ca Operated by Yellowhead Community Services

The Employment Program of British Columbia is funded by

The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.

Hours of operation: Monday through Friday 8:00

Operated by Yellowhead Community Services

Resolve to keep


Thompson-Nicola Regional District

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District’s environmen-tal services depart-ment is gearing up for Christmas this year with opportunities for residents in the regional district to recycle their Christmas trees and lights.

All TNRD solid waste disposal and recycling facilities will be accepting, free of charge, bare, natural Christmas trees until Jan. 31.

Broken strings of Christmas lights can also be recycled for free at the facilities’ scrap-metal piles until Jan. 31.

“We know that along with the holiday season can come an increase in waste,” said Jamie Vieira, manager of environmental ser-vices for the TNRD.

“So we are happy to help residents with these extra recycling options during the holi-days, and we hope that people will be thinking

of ways they can reduce and reuse in addition to recycling this holiday season.”

A good way to help cut down on waste this holiday season is to give an experience- or ser-vice-based gift instead of a material object. Another waste-saving idea is to simply reuse old wrapping paper or bags when gift-giving.

8 - 9

Waste facilities ready to take trees, lights

Bare Christmas trees can be disposed of at TNRD waste sites until Jan. 31. Photo submitted

Tom Fletcher

After a whirlwind year that started with a come-from-behind election win, Premier Christy Clark sat down with me for the traditional year-end interview in her Victoria office. Here are excerpts from that discussion. A longer ver-sion with video can be found under the Opinion tab of this newspaper’s website.

TF: Premier, you surprised a few people this year. What surprised you the most about 2013?

PCC: I guess it was the disconnect between the pollsters and the pundits, and the public. I did have a sense all the time that the citizens were thinking something different in the run-up to the election campaign. I wondered, am I miss-ing something here, or are they missing something? And I guess it turned out that it wasn’t me that was missing something.

TF: The liquefied natural gas export

project is going to use a lot of natural gas, especially in the early years. Will B.C.’s greenhouse gas reduction targets [20 per cent reduction by 2020, 80 per cent by 2050] have to be changed?

PCC: I don’t have a clear answer on that yet. We are working with the compa-nies on exactly how we are going to struc-ture their environmental commitments and costs, and their electricity costs versus using gas, the total royalty tax regime. We're looking at that as one package.

However that turns out, though, this opportunity to export natural gas to Asia is the single biggest opportunity we have ever had as a province to reduce green-house gas emissions around the world. In shipping this to China, we are going to help them wean themselves off some of the dirtiest coal anybody's burning any-where in the world.

TF: If B.C. is going to get credit for displacing coal use in Asia, shouldn’t B.C.’s coal exports, even though it’s metallurgical

coal, count in our greenhouse gas total as well?

PCC: I know that the academics and pundits are going to get all mired in com-peting sets of numbers and studies. For me, we have a chance to do good for the world, and we’re going to take it.

TF: On oil pipelines, your agreement in November with Alberta Premier Alison Redford involves B.C. supporting her effort for a national energy strategy. What do you see it doing in the future?

PCC: The big idea that she’s trying to pursue with that is a strategy that will connect us east to west in energy. Energy grids are much better connected north to south than they are east to west. So she’s trying to pursue a pan-Canadian strategy for the exchange of energy, whether that’s hydroelectricity or natural gas or what-ever it is.

We haven’t been intimately involved with it until recently, so we’ll see where it goes.

TF: There’s a perception out there, fuelled by the opposition, that you cam-paigned against oil pipelines and now you’re turning the tanker around, as it were, to be in support of them. What do you say to that?

PCC: It’s typical of the other guys to reinterpret and misquote. That’s what they do. They’re in opposition. What I said was, we have five conditions that must be met in order for heavy oil to be considered to go ahead in British Columbia. That has not changed.

The five conditions remain in place. As of today, none of them have been met. The only thing that is different today, from before the election, is that now I no longer stand alone in support-ing the five conditions. I have one other premier supporting me, and that’s Alison Redford.

– Tom Fletcher is legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Twitter: @tomfletcherbc Email: [email protected]

Premier Christy Clark looks back on 2013

EVERYONE Will Be Talking About It … DON'T MISS OUT Subscribe today

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Have a happy

and safe holiday


Tom Fletcher/Black Press

1. When Premier Christy Clark took the stage after her upset election win May 14, the first

thing she said was:A: I'm going to Disneyland!B: Well, that was easy!C: Oh no, now I have to pay off the debt!D: Socialism is dead!

2. How many proposed liquefied natural gas export proposals are there on the B.C. coast, according to the premier's latest esti-mate?

A: fourB: sixC: eightD: ten

3. After winning $25 million in the lot-tery, Terrace construc-tion worker Bob Erb gave six-figure dona-tions to:A. Local anti-poverty and other community groupsB. Pay for $300,000 in dental work for locals who couldn't afford it.C. Provide cars and trucks for people he considered needy.D. Sensible BC marijuana legalization campaignE. All of the above

4. How has the province said it would raise money to pay for a promised new bridge to replace the Massey Tunnel?A. Tax increasesB. Toll like the Port Mann Bridge.C. Small tolls on all Metro Vancouver bridges and major roadsD. It hasn't

5. What admis-sion to U.S. border guards did some B.C. residents find can be deemed a "crime of moral turpitude" and result in America bar-ring your entry?A. AtheismB. Past use of mari-juanaC. Past conviction for impaired drivingC. Past or present membership in the NDP

6. Which of the following wasn't pro-

posed in B.C.'s liquor law review?A: Licensing alcohol sales at farmers' mar-ketsB: Letting children into pubs with their parentsC: Serving alcohol for slot players on BC FerriesD: Selling hard liquor in grocery stores

7. Burnaby's Tung Sheng (David) Wu was convicted and jailed for performing illegal:A. ProctologyB. TaxidermyC. Electronic waste recyclingD. Dentistry

8. Since his triumph in the HST referen-dum, former premier Bill Vander Zalm has campaigned against:A: An alleged secret global surveillance system using smart metersB: An alleged secret global climate control scheme using "chem-trails"C: An alleged secret European Union plot to control world finance through con-sumption taxesD: All of the above

9. What's the trans-portation ministry's solution to prevent the new Port Mann Bridge from dropping more ice bombs onto cars?A. A system of scrap-ers and brushes along each cable to remove iceB. Aerial drones that spray the cables with de-icing solutionC. A flock of seagulls trained to peck loose

ice chunksD. Closing the bridge and waiting for ice to melt

10. What did Metro Vancouver mayors propose in 2013 as a new way to raise money for cash-strapped TransLink?A. $5 toll at the border on all vehicles heading south to the USAB. Regional sales tax of up to 0.5 per cent C. Adding magnets to new SkyTrain fare gates to suck loose change out of pocketsD. Forcing SeaBus passengers to row to help save on fuel costsE. Installing slot machines in SkyTrain stations

11. The government is considering spend-ing $6 million to stop the B.C. legislature dome from:A: CrackingB: PeelingC: TwistingD: Sinking

12. Which was not a 911 call received by E-Comm operators who begged cellphone users to be more care-ful about declaring emergencies?A. Asking who won the hockey gameB. Broken TV setC. Big spider in living roomD. Politician breaking election promise

13. B.C. pharmacies were ordered by their regulating body to stop doing what?A: Offering wine tast-ings at the pharmacy counter

B: Issuing reward points or other "kick-backs" to customers buying prescription drugsC: Refusing to sell prescribed medical marijuanaD: Refusing to act as supervised injection sites

14. In 2013, the B.C. government approved:A: Enbridge's Northern Gateway oil pipeline to KitimatB: Twinning Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain oil pipeline to BurnabyC: A pipeline to carry fuel from tankers on the Fraser River to Vancouver airportD: A pipeline to trans-port glacial water from Garibaldi Park to Squamish for export

15. The poaching of what prompted Vancouver Island aboriginal groups to post a $25,000 reward?A: Roosevelt elkB: AbaloneC: SealsD: Easter eggs

16. Which B.C. municipal council fended off a court challenge (and death threats) over its deer cull program?A: Oak BayB: CranbrookC: InvermereD: Penticton

Answers: 1-B, 2-D, 3-E, 4-D, 5-B, 6-C, 7-D, 8-D, 9-A, 10-B, 11-C, 12-D, 13-B, 14-C, 15-A, 16-C

8 - 9

OTTAWA/CNW/ - The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) applauds the announce-ment of funding for a new stra-tegic partnership to build and operate the first cellulose filament (CF) commercial demonstration plant. The announcement was made by the federal and Quebec governments at a Kruger plant in Trois-Rivières recently.

CF is a novel and high value wood-fibre based material that could be used in new "super-pulps", and for high-performance

tissue, towel, paper and packaging materials. It could also be used as a bio-material in a wide range of non-traditional applications such as reinforced plastics, non-struc-tural panels in building construc-tion and non-woven fabric. The demonstration project is possible because of research and develop-ment by FPInnovations.

"This is another great example of Canada leading the way in new innovations that will transform the forest products industry to extract more value from every

tree," says the president and CEO of FPAC, David Lindsay. "This type of ground-breaking innova-tion is supporting jobs and eco-nomic growth, especially in rural Canada."

The demonstration project is made possible with the support of $15 million from the federal Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program. FPAC has asked the government to replenish this strategic fund with $500 million over the next six years to continue to drive forward

world leading innovations that maximize jobs and value creation from Canada's forests.

"We welcome this continued support for transformation from governments. They remain a vital partner in providing the risk capital needed to ensure Canada is developing world-first tech-nologies and flourishing in world-markets over the long term," says Lindsay.

FPAC's Vision2020 for the Canadian forest products indus-try has set the goal of generating

an additional $20 billion in new products and markets by the end of the decade.

FPAC provides a voice for Canada's wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and inter-nationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. The $57-billion-a-year forest products industry represents two per cent of Canada's GDP and is one of Canada's largest employers oper-ating in hundreds of communities and providing 230,000 direct jobs across the country.

Pot and pipelines: 2013 B.C. news quiz

Forest industry lauds another world first for Canada's innovative forest research sector

SELL

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LL IT

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SELL

IT FAS

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A10 www.clearwatertimes.com Thursday, January 2, 2014 Clearwater Times Clearwater Times Thursday, January 2, 2014 www.clearwatertimes.com A11

10-11Santa checks out new career in the NHL during Christmas presentation at Raft River Elementary School

Santa plays floor hockey with Wayne Gretsky, played by Brent Settle. After trying his hand against the Great One, he decided that maybe delivering presents isn't so bad after all.

If there's NHL hockey, there has to be a Don Cherry, played here by Zephram Tino. Operating the camera is Joshua Foss and interviewing Cherry is Hannah Foisy.

Mrs. Claus and two elves look concerned as Santa considers changing jobs to play hockey in the NHL. Pictured are (l-r) Kyle Dobi, Billy Biagioni, Abby Ransom and Austin Chrystall.

Students in white tops give a big hurrah during the finale of their dance routine. The gymnasium at Raft River Elementary School was full for the performance.

Reid Muddiman wears a bear costume as he takes part in the singing.

Above: Rylee Pennock wears a Santa hat while Zion Toscano demon-strates his skills with a guitar.

Left: Amanda Zitlau oper-ates a realistic-looking Zamboni to clean the hockey rink.

Above: (L-r) Abby Elliot, Soren Arduini and Gaby Mann sing for the audience during the annual Christmas presentation at Raft River Elementary School on Thursday evening, Dec. 19.

Right: Senior students line up for applause at the end of the Christmas presentation.

All photos by Keith McNeill

Call 1-855-678-7833 today for more details.

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Goldie Krawec

Season 8 of the Wells Gray Inn Poker Club has ended. Final eight players for the sea-son tournament were: Goldie Krawec 6,200, Cheryl McHale 5,000, Laurie Marsh 4,500, Jay Osborne 4,400, Jeff Kuhn 4,325, Kim Pendergast 4,300, Fred Roach 4,075, Linda Brown 3,675. Five ladies and three men along with a wild card per-son that was deter-mined on Wild Card night.

Winning the Wild Card position was Millie Rempel. She attained this position on the last night of play by being high-est ranking player of the evening who did not place in previous competition.

The final event of Season 8, the tournament, was held Dec. 18. As usual, the players drew their table posi-tion cards and play commenced. All of

the players using their own strategies to try and outsmart their opponents, using their own secret methods to try and outsmart their opponents by using bluffing, or just plain luck.

The final winner of the tournament was Fred Roach, followed closely by Goldie Krawec in second and Jay Osborne third.

This past season, over 34 players par-ticipated in the weekly competition. Many people come to com-pete, some for the fierce competition they feel, some just to meet new people, and some just to learn the game and have an evening out.

These players who learned to play poker on the Internet have an adjustment period when joining as they are now dealing with

real people and the interaction can some-times be interesting when they are con-fronted by a living, speaking opponent, instead of just clicking a mouse.

The Texas Hold’m game is held each Wednesday evening at the Wells Gray Inn starting at 7 p.m. sharp. New players need to register before playing. Play for Season 9 starts on Jan. 8.

12 - 13

Sports

Open for the holidaysJulian Dewey (l) and Jacob Merlot get a hand from lift attendant Leevon Levasseur during the first day of the season at Clearwater Ski Hill on Satur-day, Dec. 21. More open days were planned for the holidays. Photo by Keith McNeill

Roach wins poker tournament

Winners of the Season 8 poker tournament were Goldie Krawec (l) in second place and Fred Roach in first. Photo submitted

Learn More. Achieve More.If you or an adult you know would like to improve

reading, writing or math skills, look under LEARN in

the Yellow Pages™ or visit www.LookUnderLearn.ca

Hockey Lives Here!

For more information about the Sportsplex or any programs call 250 674 2143

NORTH THOMPSON SPORTSPLEX

MINOR HOCKEY GAME SCHEDULE

SATURDAY JANUARY 4 &SUNDAY JANUARY 5

Clearwater Bantams hosts mini tournament

JANUARY 11 & 12Grils Hockey Tournament

JANUARY 13 - 19Clearwater Hockey Days

Wear a jersey and get involved in Canada’s Game!

Family Skating Fridays @ 5pm • Sundays @ 4:30pm • No Charge

Jan. 4 & 5 Sponsored by Wells Gray Inm

Preschool Skating 10am

Home School Skating Wednesdays 1:30pm

Clearwater & District Minor Hockey Still accepting registrations. www.cdmha.info • Register @ 250 674 2594 or [email protected]

Raft Mountain Skating Club Still accepting registrations Register @ www.raftmountain.com

Ladies Hockey • Fridays at 6:45pm

Mens Drop In Hockey • Fridays at 8:00

Oldtimers Hockey • Every Wednesday at 8:45 and Sundays at 7:00

Wells Gray Curling Club Call 250 674 3768 for more info.

2941 Upper Thompson Army Cadets

Training year 2013-2014

Tuesday eveningsLegion Hall Branch 259 ClearwaterLegion Hall Branch 242 Barriere

Parade times 5:30 pm - 8 pm

For more info please call250-371-7486All youth aged 12-18 are welcome


Christmas – a simple nine letter word that brings to mind so much! Love, family, joy, hope, gifts, shopping, money, and obligations are what come to mind, so much to do in so little time.

With the latter of these in mind, it is dif-ficult to concentrate on what Christmas is truly meant to be. We forget that spend-ing time with family is more important than gifts; we ignore the fact that most of what we think Christmas to be about is unnecessary. We neglect giving and showing our love and appreciation the rest of the year in order that we can compile it all up within a mere two weeks. Why do we cel-ebrate and give only on holidays?

Throughout the year we tend to select days to show our love. Birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving – they are all days and times of the year that we use to represent our love and appreciation for one another. It is quite disappointing that we need to make up certain

dates to care, to give.Christmas is a time

we have idolized as joy as well as a time to give. If we were to use every day as a time to give and a time to spread joy, Christmas would no longer be idolized. We wouldn’t need a reminder at the end of each year to give and to love, to be happy and give joy.

Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works.”

If we were to do this every day of the year, there would be no need to exhaust ourselves over two weeks. Giving, caring, joy and appre-ciation would come so naturally that Christmas wouldn’t need to be a big rush and busy time of the year. It would meet its full potential to bring families together and to enjoy each other’s presence. Instead of worrying about how much the holiday season would cost us, we would be able to concentrate on the one and only aspect of Christmas that brings everyone together,

LOVE.Merry Christmas!— Shai Richardson is

daughter of Clearwater Christian Church's Wayne Richardson.

12 - 13

Clearwater

Christian Church

ByShai Richardson

Think on These Things

Thoughts from a PK (pastor’s kid)

ObituaryIN LOVING MEMORY

Kenneth Ross HutchinsonDec. 2, 1949 - Dec. 20, 2013

After a 6 1/2 year battle with cancer Ken will rest on the tranquil waters of his favourite fishing spot. Survived by his wife and best friend Susan, children Kaleb (Melissa), Jolene (Ken) Riddle, Jenna, Jonas and Clinton. His precious granddaughters Kalyn and Sadie Hutchinson, Ryann and Reese Riddle. His furry fishing buddy Carlos. Ken is survived by his stepmother Penny, sister Sharon, brothers Keith (Roblyn), Brian (Mary-Jane), Stephen and numerous nieces and neph-ews. Predeceased by his father Ed in 2002 and his mother Georgina in 2013.

Ken was born at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. His family later moved to Victoria, where he grew up in the Cordova Bay area, spending his summers on the beach. Graduated in 1969 from Esquimalt High then continued on to work for BC

Parks, building hiking trails and campsites at Manning Park, Garibaldi Park and Mt. Seymour. He then worked for Westcraft Windows in the Courtenay area and Dave Burkhard Construction until moving to Little Fort from Courtenay in the fall of 1980 to farm and raise his family.

There in Little Fort Ken and Susan raised their five children, developed their farm and had the only herd of reg-istered Hays Converter cattle

in the B.C. Interior. During this time Ken worked full time for 26 years at Gilbert Smith Forest Products in Barriere until falling ill. Ken loved being outdoors, fishing, camping, sledding and fixing cars.

Thank you to the car-ing staff at Marjorie Willoughby Hospice House for taking such good care of us during Ken's final days. Also to all the doc-tors and home care support that helped over the past years.

A private family ser-vice will be held. Should friends desire donations may be made to Marjorie Willoughby Hospice House, 72 Whiteshield Crescent S, Kamloops BC V2E 2S9 or to the North Thompson Hospice House Society, Box 1, Little Fort, BC, V0E 2C0. Arrangements entrusted to North Thompson Funeral Services, 73 Taren Drive, Clearwater, V0E 1N2, 250-674-3030.

St James Catholic Church

Sunday Service Mass • 11am - 12pmTuesday & Thursday

10am324 Clearwater Village

Road 250-672-5949

Father Don O’Reilly

Clearwater Seventh-Day

Adventist Church

Pastor Bill KellySaturday Service - 10amClearwater Christian ChurchPh. 250-674-3468

Clearwater Living Streams Christian

FellowshipMeeting at

New Life Assemblyevery Sunday 5:00pm

Contact Dave Meehan 250-674-3217email: [email protected]

Clearwater Community Churchopen to everyone - all denominations

CLEARWATER NEW LIFE ASSEMBLYDan Daase - Pastor

Sunday Morning Worship 10:30am

(Kids church during service)Wednesdays Am - Ladies Bible Study

Thursday 3-5pm Kids ClubPhone: 250-674-2345308 W Old N Thompson Hwy

ChurchDirectoryYour places of worship

VAVENBY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

3083 Capostinsky Rd. • Service 11 a.m.

Sunday Morning Celebration

ServicesIan Moilliet Pastor -

250-676-9574Non Denominational

Clearwater Christian Church“an Independent” congregation in fellowship with the

broader Christian community in the area.Meeting at: 11 Lodge Drive

(Behind Fields Store)

Sunday Worship Service

10 amOn the Web: www.clchch.com

For information 250.674.3841 or 250.674.2912

Pastor Mike Kiewitt250.674.1332

www.ccbaptist.ca

COMMUNITYBAPTIST24E Old North Thompson Hwy

Worship Service 10:30

CLEARWATER UNITED CHURCH

Meeting at Catholic Church of St. James

WorShip Sunday 9am

Rev. Brian Krushel250-672-5653 • 250-674-3615

www.norththompsonpc.ca

IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

LEARN TO SKATE WITH OUR ENERGETIC, FUN, PROFESSIONAL COACHESJoin local coaches Teresa Heisterman for Junionr & SeniorStar Skate and Chelsea Hindle for Preschool & Canskate

Raft Mountain Skating Club is holding registration at theNorth Thompson Sportsplex onJanuary 6 from 5pm - 6pm

Or register online atwww.raftmountain.comFunding is available upon request for those eligible.For more information visit

www.raftmountain.com

We’ve seen great achievements fromour skaters so far this year -This year should be even better

Lessons beginthe week of January 6

To learn more about diabetes, volunteer, advocate or donate, please contact :

Interior(250) 762-9447

[email protected]

A14 www.clearwatertimes.com Thursday, January 2, 2014 Clearwater Times Clearwater Times Thursday, January 2, 2014 www.clearwatertimes.com A15

14 -15

Robyn Rexin

Vavenby Christian Church held its annual Christmas in the Village on Sunday morning, Dec. 15.

It started off with everyone singing Christmas carols. Isaac Moilliet told some funny jokes and then the band Three Blind Fellows From Avola plus Wilf Rothwell played and sang some songs. After Pastor Ian Moillet’s brief ser-mon about Christmas Day, Valerie and John Gerber sang a duet. There was no play this year with both Vienna and Krystle Moilliet being away.

After the singing everyone enjoyed a delicious pot-luck feast, guests going first. Nicely decorated tables were set up in the sanctuary for all to sit at. The church was full. The singing, visit-ing, and sharing put everyone into the spirit of Christmas.

Youngsters sing and do crafts at Christmas get-together

Vavenby Primary School held a Christmas get-together on the last day of school before the holi-days – Friday, Dec. 20. The students greeted

their visitors and put elf hats on the heads of willing parents/grandparents. The children were dressed as reindeer.

The get-together began with the stu-

dents reciting a poem using Santa finger puppets. Then they each read an acrostic poem that they had written. To end the performance all of the children sang Santa

Claus is Coming to Town with hand actions. There was a big round of applause when they were fin-ished.

Everyone took part in crafts next. There were many differ-ent activities for the students and guests to enjoy. The stations were: making candy cane mice, colouring, painting pictures on paper and on tiles, and making Santa, angel, tree, and reindeer fin-ger puppets.

The guests were really involved with their children and with working on their own. Christmas music played in the back-ground.

The students were clearly enjoying them-selves and very excited about the holidays.

Three Blind Fellows From Avola sing at Vavenby event

Vavenby's Wilf Rothwell (l) plays with "The Three Blind Fellows from Avola. The band members are (l-r) Gilles Leger, Ron McRobert, and Monty Lutz.

Rudolph Hunter Crystall holds up his completed candy cane mouse.

Right: Reindeer Iannah Toscano displays her completed crafts.

Photos by Robyn Rexin

VavenbyNews

By

Robyn Rexin

Business & Service DirectoryACCOUNTANT - CERTIFIED

STONE & COMPANY(Robert Lawrie, Silvia Scheibenp� ug)

Certi� ed General AccountantsRison Realty • 32 E Old N. Thompson Hwy.

Feb. 1st to Apr. 30th - Every ThursdayMay 1st to Jan. 31st - By AppointmentHours: 9:30 am to Noon, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Phone: 250-674-2532 • Kamloops: 554-2533 • Fax: 554-2536Financial Statement Preparation • Corporate & Personal Income Taxes

Accountant - Certified Appliance Repair

CARPENTRY

Hazel’s HousingQUALITY WORK

• NEW CONSTRUCTION • RENOVATIONS • ROOFING

CLEARWATER, B.C.

250-674-4083Hazel Dowds

Journeyman Carpenter

Carpentry

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

SYMONS ELECTRIC- CLOSED MONDAYS -

B.C. Reg. #24833

250-587-6175

Electric Contractors

Building Supply

Winter Hours • 8:30am - 5pm


Licenced & BondedReg. NO: 99142

Florist

JAGER GARBAGEResidential & Commercial

Garbage Collection. Residential includes Blue Bag Recycling

Containers available for construction sites, yard clean-up, industrial sites etc.

Phone Jager Garbage 250-674-3798Serving from Vavenby to Blackpool area

GARBAGE COLLECTIONGarbage Collection

CONTRACTORS

Septic - Installation - Service - PumpingDemolition - Excavation - Backhoe Service

Trucking - Crane Truck - Water - DumpGravel - Sand - Top Soil - Snow Removal

Paul Jack250.819.3205 250.299.9510

Contracting

ConstructionConstruction &

Renovations from Foundations

to Roof

Rob Kerslake

Steve Noble

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

NORTH RIVERAPPLIANCE REPAIRFour Star Service

250-674-0079

DOUG JAMESPARTS - SALES - SERVICE CALLS USED APPLIANCES

73 Taren Drive, Clearwater Phone 250-674-2929 Toll Free: 1-877-974-2929

~ fl owers ~ plants ~ gifts ~ balloon bouquets ~specializing in weddings, sympathy, birthdays,

anniversaries and other important occasions

~ fl owers ~ plants ~ gifts ~ balloon bouquets ~~ fl owers ~ plants ~ gifts ~ balloon bouquets ~

HOLIDAY HOURSClosed

Jan. 1 - Feb. 3, 2014RE-OPEN

Feb. 4, 2014

MOTOR LICENCE OFFICE

ICBC AgentDistrict of Clearwater

250-674-2733132 Station Road, Box 157, Clearwater, B.C. V0E 1N0Of� ce Hours: Monday to Friday - 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Open through the Noon hour

Motor Licence Office Plumbing & Drains

NORTH THOMPSON

NTPDPLUMBING AND DRAINSGot Leaks? Plugged Drain? New Installs

Fully Insured • 100% Guaranteed • 250-674-8151

Wells & Pumps ≈ Yearly Maintenance ≈ Frozen pipesWe are right around the corner

Contractor

Building Contractor

Renovations • Additions • New Construction Home Repairs • HAFI Jobs • Proje� Management

250-674-3875 Clearwater, BC • [email protected]�

40 years experience

Building ContractorHANS OUNPUU

Business & Service Directory


STONE & COMPANY(Robert Lawrie, Silvia Scheibenpfl ug)

Certifi ed General AccountantsRison Realty • 32 E Old N. Thompson Hwy.

Feb. 1st to Apr. 30th - Every ThursdayMay 1st to Jan. 31st - By AppointmentHours: 9:30 am to Noon, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Phone: 250-674-2532 • Kamloops: 554-2533 • Fax: 554-2536Financial Statement Preparation • Corporate & Personal Income Taxes

Accountant - Certified Appliance Repair

Hazel’s HousingQUALITY WORK

• NEW CONSTRUCTION • RENOVATIONS • ROOFING

CLEARWATER, B.C.

250-674-4083Hazel Dowds

Journeyman Carpenter

Carpentry

Symons ElectricGood Prices • Great Service • Quality WorkLARRY SYMONS • LICENSED & BONDED • CLEARWATER

- CLOSED MONDAYS - • B.C. Reg. #24833

250-587-6175


Building Supply

Winter Hours • 8:30am - 5pm


Licenced & BondedReg. NO: 99142

JAGER GARBAGEResidential & Commercial

Garbage Collection. Residential includes Blue Bag Recycling

Containers available for construction sites, yard clean-up, industrial sites etc.

Phone Jager Garbage 250-674-3798Serving from Vavenby to Blackpool area

Garbage Collection

Septic - Installation - Service - PumpingDemolition - Excavation - Backhoe Service

Trucking - Crane Truck - Water - DumpGravel - Sand - Top Soil - Snow Removal

Paul Jack250.819.3205 250.299.9510

ContractingConstruction

John White

Fully Insured

Journeyman Carpenters

Bonded General Contractor

Tiny Builders Ltd.Box 345

Clearwater BCV0E 1N0

(250) 674-4001(250) [email protected]

ConstructionConstruction &

Renovations from Foundations

to Roof

Rob KerslakeSteve Noble

NORTH RIVERAPPLIANCE REPAIRFour Star Service

250-674-0079

DOUG JAMESPARTS - SALES - SERVICE CALLS

USED APPLIANCES

Contractor

Building Contractor

Renovations • Additions • New Construction Home Repairs • HAFI Jobs • Project Management

250-674-3875 Clearwater, BC • [email protected]

40 years experience

HANS OUNPUU

FULLY CERTIFIED60 FOOT STICK BOOM

MAN LIFT WITH WINCHWe can safely lift you in the cage

to put your task close at hand. Pull a pump, lift a tower, top a treeHourly, daily and weekly rates • Includes operator

250-587-6151Kindly refer to our website: itecboomtruck.com

Boom Truck

Itec Enterprises

Gifts

The Little Gift Shop• Jewelry

• Gift Baskets• Framed photo, prints & cards

• Fishing - rods, reels, lures, knives• Local artists - and much more

Tuesday to Friday: 10 am - 5 pmSaturdays: 10 am- 4 pm

250-674-0101Next to Clearwater Computers

Gifts

SCENTSY CERAMIC WARMERSVELATA BELGIAN CHOCOLATE FONDUES

A favourite idea for personal or gift giving and home and party entertainment.Book now or orders placed weekly. No shipping or handling fees

Sat.: 10am - 4pm • Sun.: 11:30 - 4pm 343 Clearwater Valley Rd. (Beside O’Bryan’s in the Laundromat at the TNT Building Entrance to Wells Gray Park) or call 250-674-3763 or 778-208-5359

Kathy’s Jewelry & Gifts

Construction

DNA ConstructionNew Construction, Renovations, Tiling, Roofi ng.

Dan Arnold250-587-0010

Plumbing & Heating

visa, debit, mc accepted

VANDENBORRE PLUMBING & HEATING

PROPANE & ELECTRIC FURNACE REPAIRFurnace Installation • Heat Pumps and Air ConditioningRadon Gas Mitigation • Serving Blue River - Little Fort

YOUR FRIENDLY REPAIR MANWATER WELL SERVICES

Jim Vandenborre • Fully insured 250.674.2688 [email protected] 250.674.8552

Plumbing & Drains

NEED A PLUMBER?

JASEN MANN 250-674-8151

NORTH THOMPSON

NTPDPLUMBING AND DRAINS

MOTOR LICENCE OFFICE

ICBC AgentDistrict of Clearwater

250-674-2733132 Station Road, Box 157, Clearwater, B.C. V0E 1N0Offi ce Hours: Monday to Friday - 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Open through the Noon hour

Motor Licence Office Septic Service

CLEARWATER SEPTIC SERVICEGive us a call before it’s too late! BEST rates in town

“Interior Health approved” POTABLE WATER SERVICE

250-674-3562

& PORTABLE TOILET RENTALS

Snow Removal

FULL STEAM Snow Removal and Sanding

Phone 250-674-1470Commercial & Residential

John ChaytorBox 561 Clearwater, BC V0E [email protected]

StorageStorage

250.674.0145

Covered RV & Boat Storage

NOW AVAILABLEOff the Hook

STORAGEMini Storage Units

TAXI SERVICE

WELLS GRAY

TAXIAVAILABLE 24 HOURS • 7 DAYS A WEEK

250-674-2214 • 250-674-1542

Taxi Service


14 -15

Robyn Rexin

Vavenby Christian Church held its annual Christmas in the Village on Sunday morning, Dec. 15.

It started off with everyone singing Christmas carols. Isaac Moilliet told some funny jokes and then the band Three Blind Fellows From Avola plus Wilf Rothwell played and sang some songs. After Pastor Ian Moillet’s brief ser-mon about Christmas Day, Valerie and John Gerber sang a duet. There was no play this year with both Vienna and Krystle Moilliet being away.

After the singing everyone enjoyed a delicious pot-luck feast, guests going first. Nicely decorated tables were set up in the sanctuary for all to sit at. The church was full. The singing, visit-ing, and sharing put everyone into the spirit of Christmas.

Youngsters sing and do crafts at Christmas get-together

Vavenby Primary School held a Christmas get-together on the last day of school before the holi-days – Friday, Dec. 20. The students greeted

their visitors and put elf hats on the heads of willing parents/grandparents. The children were dressed as reindeer.

The get-together began with the stu-

dents reciting a poem using Santa finger puppets. Then they each read an acrostic poem that they had written. To end the performance all of the children sang Santa

Claus is Coming to Town with hand actions. There was a big round of applause when they were fin-ished.

Everyone took part in crafts next. There were many differ-ent activities for the students and guests to enjoy. The stations were: making candy cane mice, colouring, painting pictures on paper and on tiles, and making Santa, angel, tree, and reindeer fin-ger puppets.

The guests were really involved with their children and with working on their own. Christmas music played in the back-ground.

The students were clearly enjoying them-selves and very excited about the holidays.

Three Blind Fellows From Avola sing at Vavenby event

Vavenby's Wilf Rothwell (l) plays with "The Three Blind Fellows from Avola. The band members are (l-r) Gilles Leger, Ron McRobert, and Monty Lutz.

Rudolph Hunter Crystall holds up his completed candy cane mouse.

Right: Reindeer Iannah Toscano displays her completed crafts.

Photos by Robyn Rexin

VavenbyNews

By

Robyn Rexin


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CHECK YOUR MARKET

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NELS HINDLE OFFICE: 250-674-3123or CELL: 250-674-1427 ®


THOUGHTFOR THE

WEEK

January 1st, is

the first

blank page of

a 365 page

book.

Write a good

one.

Wells Gray Country

TO ADD YOUR COMMUNITY EVENT OR ORGANIZATION PLEASE CALL THE TIMES AT 250-674-3343

Jan: 3-4: Girl Guide Bottle Drive. Contact Judy 250-674-2319

Jan. 6: Raft Mountain Skating Club registration, NT Sportsplex, 5-6 pm

Jan. 7: Regular council meeting, 7 pm, Coun-cil chambers, 132 Station Rd.

Jan. 11 & 12: Mens Skins Spiel @ Wells Gray

Curling Club. Guaranteed 4 – 6 end games. Cash prizes. Reg/info 250-674-3847 or docbc.ca

Jan. 17: Seniors Mobility Workshop, 10 am – 2:30 pm, Community Resource Centre, rsvp Jan. 10 to 250-674-3286

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT• Tuesday Morning Coffee (TMC): Meets 10am – 11:30 @

Clearwater Community Baptist Church. All women and chil-dren welcome. (9:30-10 am Bible Study). Info 250-674-3624

• Clearwater Bridge Club: Wednesdays, Sportsplex lounge, 7 p.m. sharp, info 250-674-2195

• Raft River Rockhounds: 3rd Sat of the mth. Clw Lodge 1pm 250-674-2700

• Women in Business Luncheon: 2nd Thurs. of the mth at Wells Gray Inn, 12–2 pm. Preregister at 250-674-2700

• Clearwater Choir: Youth 3:30 - 5 pm; Adult 6:30 - 9 pm, Tuesdays, Clearwater Christian Church

• Crafts & Conversations with Cheryl. Tuesdays 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at the North Thompson Aboriginal Sharing Center. Phone 250-674-3703 for more info.

• Clearwater Farmer’s Market every Saturday from 9:00 am – Noon. For more info please call Anne at 250-674-3444.

• Clearwater-Vavenby Lions Bingo: Every 2nd Tues. Elks Hall. 250-587-6269

• M&M (Mrs. & Ms.) Social. Last Sun of the mth Wells Gray Inn. 1pm: 250-587-6503

• Blackpool Community Hall Coffee House; Local musicians – every 2nd Fri. of the mth. 6:30pm. Concession, $3 or 2 for $5.

• Clearwater Elks Bingo - every 2nd Thurs. Elks Hall. open 5pm• Cribbage Wed. at the Royal Canadian Legion. 12:30 pm.• Fun Darts Fri. at the Royal Canadian Legion. 6 pm.CHILDREN & FAMILIES• Racoon StrongStart - Raft River Elem school days Mon,

Tues, Thurs & Fri 8:45-11:45am• Racoon StrongStart - Vavenby Elm school days Wed 8:50-

11:50am• Clearwater Breastfeeding Group: 3rd Wed. of every month

7:30pm @ YCS• Mother Goose - Mornings, reg. Kerry 250-674-2600 ext

227• NT BC Home Schoolers: Meets Fri. afternoons. Call Leanna

250-674-0057 for details• Kids Club: Clearwater New Life Assembly. Meets every Thur.

3-5 pm. Ages 5-12. For info contact Bobbi @ 250-674-3346

HEALTH & HEALING• AA Meetings: every Wednesday, #11 Lodge Dr, 250-674-

1923• Shambhala Meditation Group: meets every Tuesday at For-

est House 6:30-8:00 pm. Info: 250-587-6373.• Connections Healing Rooms - Fridays 1-3pm (except stat.

holidays). 86 Young Rd. No charge. Sponsored by Living Streams Christian Church. www.healingrooms.com.

• Healthy Choices – Tues 9am Clearwater Christian Church bsmnt (behind Fields). $2/wk drop-in free. Call Kim 250-674-0224

• Clearwater & District Hospice 3rd Mon. Sept-Jun 10am Legion.

RECREATION• Drop-in soccer: May-Sept. Tuesdays & Thursday at 7pm at

CSS � eld. Everyone welcome!• Bowling: Mon. 10–12pm & 1-3pm; Thurs., 1-3pm. Seniors

Centre at Evergreen Acres. 250-674-2699• Clearwater Sno-Drifters: 1st Thurs every mth. 250-676-9414• CNT Rod & Gun Club: 3rd Tues. of the mth. Blackpool Hall

7pm Nov., Jan., & Mar. AGM in May• Volleyball: Tues. 7:30-9:00 PM, Nov. 5 - Dec. 10, at Clearwa-

ter Secondary School Gym, $2 drop in. Info: 250-674-1878.• Yoga Tree – Call or email Annie 250-674-2468 annie.

[email protected]• Core Strength Fitness. Tuesdays. 10-11am 250-674-0001• Walking Club: Indoors: Wed., 6:45-7:45am, & Thurs, 3:30-

4:30pm, Nov. 20-Dec. 12, 2013 at Clw Secondary School, FREE. Info: 250-674-1878

• Drop-in Curling: Fri. Jan. 11 - Mar. 8, 7:00 PM, $5. Brooms and sliders available.

• Badminton: Mon & Wed, Oct – Mar, CSS gym, 7:30-9:30 pm, $3 drop-in fee, info 250-674-2518

• Drop in Basketball: Fri., 7-8:30pm, Nov. 1-Dec. 1, $2 drop in at Clearwater Secondary School Gym. Info: 250-674-1878

SENIORS• Wells Gray Country Senior’s Society 3rd Sun Social Meet at

the Wells Gray Hotel at 12:30pm for lunch or dessert, & chat• Wells Gray Country Senior’s Society Book Club Last Thurs-

day of the month at 2pm at the public library. All seniors welcome.

UPCOMING EVENTS

ONGOING EVENTS

250-674-2674

Bayley’s BistroBayley’s Bistroin the Brookfield Shopping Centre in Clearwater

Eat in or Take out Fried Chicken

250-674-2674

this ad is sponsored by

REGISTER TODAYTEL: 250.674.3530 IN PERSON: 224 Candle Creek Rd. EMAIL: [email protected] • www.tru.ca/regional_centres/clearwater

UPCOMING COURSES OFA Level 1 First Aid Jan 26 & Feb 28 $90OFA Level 3 Jan 20 - 31 $780Gymnastics (various age classes) Various prices Jan 7 – Mar 13Intro to MIG Welding $350 Jan 5 - 28Conversation Spanish $80 Jan 21 – Mar 11Red Cross Babysitting First Aid $75 Jan 24 & 25

FEATURED COURSEINTRO TO MIG WELDINGGain skills in GMAW (MIG) wire feed welding. Several different types of wires and shielding gasses will be uti-lized in a variety of welding positions. Cutting and fi tting of joints will be stressed, with the opportunity to plan and begin a small project. Participants are encouraged to bring their home welders. JAN 5 – 28, 2014 OFA LEVEL 3 This course covers emergency medical techniques cur-rently considered to be the responsibility of the Level 3 attendant. Emphasis is on primary action approach and patient assessment. This program leads to Work Safe BC certifi cation. JAN 20 - 31, 2014

North Thompson Times Thursday, January 2, 2014 www.clearwatertimes.com A17

“The Employment Program of British Columbia is funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia”

In Partnership with Barriere & District Chamber of Commerce and Yellowhead Community Services

BARRIERE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES629 Barriere Town Rd. V0E 1E0 • 250-672-0036 • Fax: 250-672-2159

E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.barriere-employment.ca

CLEARWATER EMPLOYMENT SERVICES58A Young Road, Clearwater BC V0E 1N2 • 250-674-2928 • Fax 250-674-2938E-mail: [email protected] • Web Page: www.clearwateremployment.ca

NORTH THOMPSON JOBS

Free Workshops to help with your work search are available. Please contact us to register for one or all of these free workshops. “Back to Work Boot Camp”: Jan. 6th – Jan. 10th:

Workshops will be as follows: ‘Discover You’ (Assessments) Workshop: Mon. Jan. 6thResume, Cover Letter and Interview Skills Workshop: Tues. Jan. 7thNetworking, Cold Calls & Dress for Success Workshop: Wed. Jan. 8th Internet & Email Basics Workshop: Thurs. Jan. 9th Accepting, Maintaining & Starting Employment Workshop: Fri. Jan. 10th

Resumes & Interviews: Go hand in hand, so the better prepared you are the greater the impression you will make to your future employer. Please drop in and our friendly staff will assist you.Targeted Wage Subsidy (TWS): Are you currently on Employment Insurance or have you been in the last 3-5 years? If you have, you may be eligible for wage subsidy. Ask us for further info.Funding for Skill Enhancement: Recent or active EI clients with a career plan in mind seeking assistance through Service Canada are required to book an appointment with one of our Employment Counsellors.• Blue River Library: An employment consultant comes to the Blue River School. Next visit is Tuesday January 14th from 12:30-2:30. If a one on one appointment is required, please call to set up a time prior to the drop in.

Logging Truck Driver: Seasonal/Clearwater #C0269

German Speaking Tour Guide: FT/Seasonal/Clearwater #C0264

Professional Driver: Casual/Seasonal/Clearwater #C0263

Early Childhood Educator/Facility Manager: FT/PT Barriere #CB0262

Support Worker - Child care programs: 2 positions/Clearwater #CB0259

Traffic Control: Casual/Clw #C0256 Early Childhood Educator/Educator

Assistant: FT/PT Clw/Barriere#CB2050

Maintenance Technician (Instrumentation): FT/Clw#C0248

Cook: 2 positions/Clw #C024012 Postings/Blue River: PT & FT

#CB0222 Chef Garde Manger, Assistant Pastry Chef, Sandwich Maker, Marketing Coordinator, Registered Massage Thqerapist/Lodge Employee, Lodge Employee/Kitchen Helper, Registered Massage Therapist-Albreda Lodge, Maintenance Manager, Guide, Fine Dining Server, Registered Massage Therapist, Housekeeper

Operated by Yellowhead Community ServicesThe Employment Program of BC is funded by the Government of Canada & the Province of British Columbia

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR – Yellowhead Community Services CB0250SUPPORT WORKER – Yellowhead Community Services CB0259EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR/MANAGER – Yellowhead Community Services CB0262GENERAL LABOURER – Woodco Sawmill B0266MYSTERY SHOPPERS – In-Touch Insight Systems B0268

Go To: http://www.wiegele.com/employment.htm for information on jobs with Mike Wiegele.

Skill Development: If you have been on Employment Insurance in the past 3 years (5 years maternity) & are currently unemployed, you may be eligible for

re-training dollars. Book an appointment to see one of our counselors for information.We look forward to seeing you: come in and we’ll personally see that you get the

information you’re seeking or call and make an appointment.• Free computer & Internet access • Free resume help •

Free information on many services.

The Key ToYour New Career

Help Wanted

Announcements

Coming EventsDaytime Stick CurlingAfternoon league/drop-inStarting in JanuaryWells Gray Curling ClubFor Info call Larissa 250-674-3373

Wells Gray Curling ClubMens Skins SpielJan. 11 & 12Guaranteed 4 — 6 end gamesCash prizesRegistration $200/teamPh. Mel @ 250-674-3847 or [email protected] to register

Information

ADVERTISE in the LARGEST OUTDOOR PUBLICATION IN BC

The 2014-2016 BC Hunting Regulations

SynopsisThe most effective way to

reach an incredible number of BC Sportsmen & women.

Two year edition- terrifi c presence for your business.Please call Annemarie

1.800.661.6335 email:

fi [email protected]

Help Wanted

Announcements

InformationSafe Home Response

Providing a safe place to escape for women and their

children. Volunteers always needed.

Call 250-674-2135.

HOSPITAL AUXILIARY THRIFT SHOP

Located across the railway tracks in Vavenby, B.C.

Wednesday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.Sunday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Great deals - low prices

PersonalsBarriere Alcoholics Anonymous

Call: 250-672-9643For Al Anon Call:

250-672-9643, 250-677-4234

Clearwater: AA meetings Every Wednesday, #11 Lodge Dr., side door. Roll call 8 p.m. 250-674-1923, 250-674-7313

Travel

TimeshareCANCEL YOUR Timeshare. No risk program. Stop mort-gage and maintenance Pay-ments today. 100% money back guarantee. Free consul-tation. Call us now. We can help! 1-888-356-5248.

TravelCENTURY PLAZA HOTELBest Rates. 1.800.663.1818century-plaza.com

Employment

Business Opportunities

TRAIN TO be an Apart-ment/Condominium Manager online! Graduates get access to all jobs posted with us. 33 years of success! Government certifi ed. www.RMTI.ca or 1-800-665-8339, 604-681-5456.

Education/Trade Schools

INTERIOR HEAVY EQUIP-MENT OPERATOR SCHOOL.NO Simulators. In-the-seat training. Real world tasks.Weekly start dates. Job board! Funding options.SignUp online! iheschool.com 1-866-399-3853

Help WantedExperienced parts person re-quired immediately for James Western Star in Williams Lake. Full time, competitive wages, benefi ts and signing bonus. Fax resume to 250-398-6367 or email: [email protected]

Trades, TechnicalJOURNEYMAN AUTOMO-TIVE Service Technician(s) in Hanna Alberta. Hanna Chrys-ler Ltd. offers competitive wages, relocation allowance, negotiable depending on ex-perience. Bright, modern shop. Full-time permanent with benefi ts. Friendly town just 2 hours from major urban cen-tres. More info at: hannachrys-ler.ca. Fax 403-854-2845; Or send by email to: [email protected]

Help Wanted

Employment

Work WantedHAFI GRANTS

Notice to low income seniors and persons with disability. You may qualify for a grant up to 20,000. to modify and adapt your home for improved safety and accessibility. For details contact your local HAFI expert Hans Ounpuu, Building con-tractor @ 250-674-3875.

Services

Financial ServicesIF YOU own a home or real estate, Alpine Credits can lend you money: It’s That Simple. Your Credit / Age / Income is not an issue. 1.800.587.2161.

Legal Services

Help Wanted

Services

Photography / VideoNeed a professional

photographer? Portraits, weddings,

special events, pet portraits, commercial.

Affordable memories that last a life-time. Seniors rates.

Book now avoid & disappointment. Sorry no passport photos

Jill Hayward250-319-8023/250-672-0055

PHOTOS by Keith McNeill

Digital and fi lm photographs.Phone 250-674-3252 or

email:[email protected]

HandypersonsWilkeekon Services

Handyman & CleaningResidential & Commercial

Moving in/out, DIY projects, construction site,

interior/exterior, light haulsBonded

Gayle PeekeekootRay Wilson

250-674-2775

Telephone ServicesDISCONNECTED PHONE? National Teleconnect home phone service. No one re-fused! Low monthly rate! Call-ing features and unlimited long distance available. Call Na-tional Teleconnect today! 1-866-443-4408. or visit online: www.nationalteleconnect.com

Merchandise for Sale

Misc. for Sale2 saddles, good condition, $300 each. Also vet supplies. 250-672-2086

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Your community. Your classifi eds.

250.674.3343

fax 250.674.3410 email classifi [email protected]

CLASSIFIED RATES AND DEADLINEBuy a Classified in the Star/Journal

and your ad goes into the The Times FREE.

Regular Rate: 8.50 + GSTMaximum 15 words .20c per word extra

Special Rates: 3 Weeks;$22.15 + GST

Free Ads: Lost, Found, Student Work WantedFree ads maximum 15 words will run 2 consecutive weeks.

Happy Occasions:Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, etc. 1 column by 3 inch - $18.49 + GSTDeadlines:Word Ads: Mondays 5pmDisplay Ads: Mondays 12pm

It is the policy of The Star/Journal and The Times to receive pre-payment on all classified advertisements.Ads may be submitted by phone if charged to a VISA, MC or an existing account.

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February 19– March 20

January 20– February 18

December 22– January 19

May 21– June 21

April 20– May 20

August 23– September 22

July 23– August 22

November 22– December 21

October 23– November 21

March 21– April 19

June 22– July 22

September 23– October 22

A p r i l 2 3 - 2 9 , 2 0 1 2

This week is all about give and take, Capricorn. Do for others, and they will do for you. A special event calls for some extra-special gifts.

Some habits are hard to break, Aquarius. Look to a mentor to help and you will succeed. A fitness goal is easily achieved with a new piece of equipment.

The odds may be stacked against you, Pisces, but that doesn’t mean you won’t come out on top with a little ingenuity. A weekend endeavor requires a leap of faith.

Speak up, Aries, and the problem will be solved. A little miracle at home makes for an interesting weekend. Travel plans come together.

Cast aside all doubt, Taurus. The offer is genuine and will bring you many rewards. A test of faith begins— be strong. Money woes ease.

Feeling blessed these days, Gemini? Pay it forward. A compromise at home raises everyone’s spirits and fun ensues all weekend long!

A business relationship blossoms with an addition. A larger-than- life personality drops by with an offer you can’t refuse. Oh boy, oh boy, Cancer.

Oops, Leo. You fall behind on a project, raising some eyebrows. Not to worry. You will get back on track sooner than you think, thanks to an innovation.

Spend less, save more and you’ll definitely get more, Virgo. More in your bottom line and more peace of mind. Flowers provide a great pick-me-up.

Lady Luck smiles on you, Libra, and there is nothing beyond your reach. A treasured heirloom resurfaces, bringing back many fond memories.

The tiniest of changes make a vast improvement in a project. A rejection is a blessing in disguise. Be grateful for what you’re given, Scorpio.

News from afar gets the creative juices flowing, and you accomplish more than you have in some time, Sagittarius. A game of wits at the office proves challenging.

Jan . 2 - J an . 8 , 2014

Thanks to the chilly weather, a beach va-cation beckons you, Aries. Start plan-ning an excursion to a warm locale that allows you to escape the daily grind.

Cancer, the final stages of a project you have been work-ing on are ready begin. Don’t be afraid to take credit when all of your hard work pays off in a big way.

You may have been bouncing around aimlessly for some time, Libra. But now is the week to get all of your affairs together and put your plan for the future in motion.

Perceptions vary, Capricorn. Just because you feel strongly about some-thing doesn’t mean another will view it the same way. Accept that your passion will not always be reciprocated.

Aquarius, even though it will be a busy week, you aren’t likely to feel wiped out. There will still be time for fun. Figure out a day to do something enjoyable.

A sporting event or something that draws a large crowd is just where you need to be this week, Taurus. Sur-round yourself with people who share your interests.

Obligations to work and family leave you short on personal time, Leo. Though your schedule is hectic, make time to unwind and you will be glad for having done so.

Restlessness can sometimes be a dangerous thing for you, Scorpio. Chan-nel any restless-ness into a worthy project that makes good use of your boundless energy.

Pisces, you are torn between being cre-ative and following convention at work. Ask a colleague for some input.

Give an issue in your relationship the con-sideration it merits, Gemini. Though it might not seem like it now, taking time to work this out will ultimately strengthen your relationship.

It may take a while to convince someone to go along with your idea, Virgo. Yet once you have this person’s support, they will be fully on board.

Sagittarius, make the best of a situation that needs changing. You might not be able to affect change, but that does not mean you can’t improve the situation with a positive attitude.

This Crossword Sponsored by

WELLS GRAY HOME HARDWARE86 STATION RD., CLEARWATER

674-3717

Merchandise for Sale

Misc. for SaleHOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available. 1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/newspaper?

STEEL BUILDINGS/Metal buildings 60% off! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for bal-ance owed! Call 1-800-457-2206 or visit us online at:www.crownsteelbuildings.ca

Misc. WantedUsed Postage Stamps

Support International Scouting by donating used stamps which are sorted & sold to raise money for the International Develop-ment Fund of the International Scout & Guide Fellowship. This fund pays for training for Scout-ers in the third world.Drop stamps off at front counter of the Star/Journal in Barriere, or call Margaret at (250)672-9330.

Real Estate

LotsLAKEVIEW LOT FOR SALE ON BOWRON LAKE, B.C. 2.58 acres, unserviced, small trees on it. 100 ft. from lake. $250,000. Call: 1-250-983-2594

Mobile Homes & Parks

Mobile Home for Sale down-town Barriere: 66’x12’, in quiet 55+ park. New: F/S, roof, fl ooring & pellet stove. Upgraded insulation. Quick possession. $16,900 w/2mo free pad rent. 250-457-6604

Rentals

Apt/Condo for RentCLEARWATER, 1-Br @ Woodside. Quiet, clean, up-dated. Common laundry. NS/NP, DD + refs. $575/mo. 604-790-2482

For Rent: 2 bdrm appt. in Bar-riere, Dunn Lake Rd. Heat & power incl. NP/NS DD $750/mo. 250-319-5220 or 250-672-9958.

Homes for RentBarriere: 3 bdrm house, 5 new appliances. RR, NS, pets neg. $1200/mo, avail Feb 1. 250-672-9362

Rentals

Homes for RentClearwater: 3 bdrm, 2.5 bath, newly reno’d, close to schools, medical center, Weyerhaeuser Sub. Avail Jan. 1. Please call 1-250-600-3885

Clearwater: Site #24 Thomp-son Crossing. Deluxe 2bdrm hm, incl all appl, cov’d ft entry, addit, storage shed, $825/mo. Avail imm. Ph. 250-587-6151

Rooms for RentClearwater: Room for rent, incl internet, shared facilities/living sp, Dutch Lake Trailer Court, ref req. $300/mo. Male per-fered. Ph. 250-674-8300

Suites, LowerBirch Island: 2bdrm suite. $600/mo. Incl sat tv, utilities & laundry. Available Dec. 1.Ph. 250-674-1768

Transportation

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Transportation

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Legal

Legal NoticesFOREST Stewardship Plan. The Adams Lake Indian Band is preparing an amendment to the Forest Stewardship Plan #311 for the Thompson Rivers Forest District. The amend-ment is to refl ect the latest Old Growth Management Areas implemented by government. The amendment is publicly available for review and for written comment until March 1, 2014. The amendment is available at the Natural Re-sources Department at 6453 Hillcrest Road in Chase, B.C. The department is open from 9am to 4pm from Monday to Friday. Please call Stuart Parker at 250-803-0181. Writ-ten comments may also be sent to P.O. Box 588 Chase, BC V0E 1M0, attention Stuart Parker, RPF.

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18 -19Rodeo Rednecks have successful 2013Submitted

Rodeo Rednecks 4-H Club has completed another successful year!

Concluding the year with 24 members the club, leaders and families would like to say thank you to the community members and sponsors that supported the club this year! Without your support this club wouldn’t be where it is today.

We kicked off 2013 with public speaking. The members were involved in weekly speech practices for six weeks leading up to a club speech night at the end of February. Each member stood on stage with micro-phone in hand in front of a panel of judges to engage the crowd with his or her own handwritten speech. The judges were Kevin Podbisky (RCMP), Tim Pennell (TNRD), Lindsay Arcand (Barriere ISCU) and Sheena White (commu-nity member).

Congratulations to our top Junior member Mackenzie Ross and runner-up Keltie Arndt, and top Senior Gareth Hewett and runner-up Jessica Rotzetter. Ross and Rotzetter repre-sented our club at district speeches in Kamloops the first week of March.

Once speeches were com-plete the members moved into judging. Judging is where the member deter-mines the advantages an animal or item has over the next. Members take part in six weeks of judg-ing practice, then take put their knowledge to the test at District Judging Rally in Kamloops.

Our club then partici-pated in weekly lessons with their horses. Lessons took place at the Noble Quarter Horse Farm in Sunshine Valley every Tuesday and Thursday from April to September. Ed Noble donated his knowledge, arena and time to the Junior and Senior members. Dani Noble put in her knowledge and time to the Cloverbuds' lessons. All lessons were free to members.

Ed also spent one day a week giving lessons to the parents and their horses.

Throughout the year, the club members work hard with their horses in their lessons and on their own to achieve horsemanship levels created by Equine Canada and adopted by BC 4-H.

In addition to getting evaluated on their levels twice a year the members also partake in fun activi-

ties with their four-legged friends. This year the club attended Summer Sizzler in Salmon Arm. This was a weeklong camp out of fun-filled day involving group dinners, swimming, lessons with their horses and a muli-club horse show.

A few members par-ticipated in horse shows around Kamloops, 100 Mile and Barriere to qualify for Heritage Finals put on by Horse Council BC. This year’s finals were held in Kamloops. Qualifying mem-bers were Shaye Turcotte, Mackenzie Ross and Dani Noble.

The club held Achievement Day in August. With tones of enthusiasm and great club spirit we had an awesome day! Judge was Jill Malanka from Logan Lake. Argo watered our riding arena and many volunteers helped make this day happen.

Congratulations to our hi point winners: Cloverbuds: Ali Settle and Owen Thon; Juniors: Kaya Breda and runner-up Mackenzie Ross; Seniors: Shaye Turcotte and runner-up Jessica Rotzetter.

The members then got down to perfecting their riding, judging and show-manship skills for Provincial Winter Fair in Barriere Sept. 26 – 30. The fair brings together all members of the region to compete for the-big trophies. The weekend finishes off with an awards banquet, dinner and dance.

Congratulations to Indigo Johnson for win-ning the Provincial Winter Fair Roy Wai Citizenship award, Makayla Breda for placing third in horse judg-ing, Shaye Turcotte and Mackenzie Ross for winning the show and fit competi-tion, and to Shaye Turcotte for bringing home sixth place in round robin judg-ing.

We concluded our year with a club awards banquet on Nov. 10, sponsored by Imperial Metals. The club was given $2500 to go towards the banquet in addi-tion to funds raised by the membership through the year.

Highlights for the night included:

• Achievement and par-ticipation awards: Owen Thon, Mia Thompson, Rose Thon Haileigh Goodie, Ali Settle, Isabella Graffunder, Addison Lee, Reid Parlby, Mackenzie Ross, Paige Weninger, Luke Ovenden, Kaya Breda, Makayla Breda, Keltie Arndt, Zandreya Richards, Julie

Pisarczyk, Joleigh Traub, Shaye Turcotte, Gareth Hewett, Indigo Johnson, Jessica Rotzetter, Zoe Ovenden, Sam Jensen, Keio Breda.

• Equitation award: Pre-Clubber, Owen Thon; Cloverbud, Ali Settle, Haileigh Goodie, and Rose Thon; Junior, Mackenzie Ross, runner-up Reid Parlby; Senior- Jessica Rotzetter, runner-up Shaye Turcotte.

• Most challenging proj-ect: Makayla Breda

• Record books: Cloverbud, Rose Thon; Junior, Paige Weninger, runner-up Mackenzie Ross; Senior, Indigo Johnson, runners-up Zoe Ovenden and Shaye Turcotte.

• Husbandry: Junior, Luke Ovenden, runner-up Paige Weninger; Senior, Indigo Johnson, runner-up Zoe Ovenden

• Art Young memo-rial trophy (PWF) Junior, Luke Ovenden, runner-up Makayla Breda; Senior, Jessica Rotzetter, runner-up Zoe Ovenden.

• Judging: pre clubber, Owen Thon; Cloverbud, Ali Settle, Haileigh Goodie and Rose Thon; Junior, Keltie Arndt, runner-up Paige Weninger; Senior, Indigo Johnson, runner-up Jessica Rotzetter.

• Top fundraising mem-bers: Shaye Turcotte, Indigo Johnson, Paige Weninger, Mackenzie Ross. runners-up: Gareth Hewett, Zandreya Richards and Jessica

Rotzetter.• Most improved: Pre

Clubber, Owen Thon; Cloverbud, Ali Settle; Junior, Kaya Breda; Senior: Jessica Rotzetter.

• Most sportsmanlike: Indigo Johnson.

• Most outstanding leadership award: Indigo Johnson.

• Most outstanding mem-ber: Shaye Turcotte.

Public speaking: Pre Clubber, Owen Thon, Mia Thompson; Cloverbuds, Rose Thon, Isabella Graffunder, Keio Breda, Sam Jensen; Junior, Mackenzie Ross, runner-up Keltie Arndt; Senior, Gareth Hewett, runner-up Jessica Rotzetter.

• Hi point award: Junior, Mackenzie Ross, runner-up Keltie Arndt; Senior- Indigo Johnson, runner-up Jessica Rotzetter.

With the inspiration of “being the best we can be” our club has fundraised our hearts out through spring plant sales, Gary’s Meats, bottle drives, Moonlight Movie Night, First annual Ukrainian dinner, ongoing used car battery fundraiser, Blazers tickets, hot dog sale, poinsettia sales and many more. We have also shov-elled snow for the elderly and visited Forestview Place with a mini pony. We par-ticipate in the annual com-munity clean-up in Little Fort, donate to the food

bank and sponsor a family for Christmas.

The members of this club have really defined what 4-H is really about, Head, Heart, Hands and Health. Thank you to our amazing sponsors plus community members from Vavenby, Birch Island, Clearwater, Blackpool, Little Fort and Barriere, parents, volunteers and club leaders.

The club will get together on Jan. 4 at the Blackpool Hall for its annual general meeting/elections and mem-bership sign-up. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Dani Noble, club leader at 250-674-8591

Happy Holidays!

Hi Point Senior award goes to Indigo Johnson during Rodeo Rednecks 4-H club's awards night in November.

Mackenzie Ross receives the Hi Point Junior award during Rodeo Rednecks 4-H club's awards night in November.

Members of Rodeo Rednecks 4-H Club pose for a photograph. Pictured are (back, l-r) Reid Parlby, Jessica Rotzetter, Keltie Arndt, Kaya Breda, Zoe Ovenden, Gareth Hewett, Shaye Turcotte, Indigo Johnson, Znadreya Richards, (middle, l-r) Mackenzie Ross, Julie Pisarczyk, Rose Thon, Paige Weninger, Isabella Graffunder, Addison Lee, Haileigh Goodie, Luke Ovenden, (front, l-r) Makayla Breda, Mia Thompson, Owen Thon, and Ali Settle. Submitted photo


20 - 21

Welders learn at CSS

Left: Sparks fly as Larson Wadlegger takes part in a weld-ing program at the Thompson Rivers University Trades Trailer next to Clear-water Secondary School recently. Photo by Kennedy Ash

Left: Tori Barstow checks out valves on two tanks. A total of 10 high school stu-dents plus two from the general public took the course.Photo by Morgan Spencer

Above: Gareth Hewett adjusts a jig as part of the welding course. The program is offered jointly by TRU and School District 26.Photo by Morgan Spencer

Left: Tyler Rhodes lays a piece of metal on a grate. The Trades Trailer visits secondary schools within the school district on a rotation basis.Photo by Morgan Spencer

Icicle chandelierA ring of icicles stuck in the snow around a single lit candle create a beautiful chandelier. About 14 Avola residents took part in a bonfire and candle-lit path recently to celebrate the winter soltice.Photo by Eleanor Deckert

Ministry of Education

VICTORIA – Fifteen-year-old students in B.C. are once again among the best in the world at math, science and reading, accord-ing to a major international assessment released recently by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is conducted every three years and is one of the most com-prehensive programs of its kind in the world.

Among the 65 participating countries and economies, only one jurisdiction statistically performed above B.C.'s range in reading, only two jurisdictions in science, and nine jurisdictions in mathematics.

On a straight numerical rank basis, B.C. is sixth in both reading and science and 12th in mathemat-ics.

B.C. also demonstrated high equity in student performance, which is the gap between the high-est- and lowest-performing stu-dents, showing the system is deliver-ing high student achievement in an equitable manner.

This maintains B.C.'s historical position as one of the top perform-

ing jurisdictions in the world and, depending on the subject, puts B.C. 15-year-old students in a range above other high-performing juris-dictions such as Finland, Germany and Australia. In comparison to the other Canadian provinces, B.C students were top ranked in read-ing and science, and second only to Quebec in math.

It is important to note that while B.C. students did well in PISA 2012, student performance appears to have plateaued. Science and reading scores have been relatively stable over the past decade. Scores in mathematics are down from PISA 2003, but changed little since PISA 2006.

These foundational skills will be measured again through PISA 2015 but the OECD will, for the first time, also assess student com-petencies in collaborative problem-solving. Balancing the focus on both foundational skills and key competencies is a goal underlying the current transformation of B.C.'s K-12 curriculum.

The PISA 2012 results follow last year's Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, which also demonstrated B.C.'s Grade 4 stu-dents were among the best readers in the world (ranked seventh among 45 jurisdictions).

B.C. students among best

Clearwater Times, January 02, 2014

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