vol4issue51

ON THE ROAD

Vol. 4/Issue 51 Your Weekly Source for News and Events December 21, 2007

get there sooner

YOU’RE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK

Serving The Upper Columbia Valley including Spillimacheen, Brisco, Edgewater, Radium, Invermere, Windermere, Fairmont and Canal Flats

PIONEER

GREETINGS

16

SKATER GIRL

19

The Columbia Valley

2

MERRY CHRISTMASMERRY CHRISTMASThe oldest church in the valley is St. Mark’s Anglican Church at Galena, north of Brisco, built in 1895 and surrounded by a cemetery fi lled with old gravestones.

Photo by Brian Geis

FREE

2 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer December 21, 2007

VALLEY NEWS

Call 341-6299 to place your classifi ed.

Fairmont Village Mall, Fairmont

Phone: 345-4000526 B – 13th St. , Invermere

Phone: 342-6911#5, 7553 Main St. W. , Radium

Phone: 347-0003100 Spokane St., Kimberley

Phone: 427-7755

BARRY 342-5245

ERIC342-5914

BILL341-5168

PAUL341-5300

www.rockymtnrealty.com

BARRY342-5809

MARLENE341-5600

DIANA341-5269

BRENDA342-1146

CLARE341-5335

DAVID342-1524Strata Management

WINDERMEREBeautiful log home nestled in the woods, on pastoral 0.556 acre property surrounded by many rock gardens, lilacs, perennial gardens, & fruit trees.

$429,900 + GSTmls# k162763

STODDART CREEKGorgeous log home on small acreage near Invermere. Massive log work, vaulted ceilings, gourmet kitchen, 3 bdrms, all with ensuite baths, walkout lower level.

$724,900mls# k151120

FAIRMONTHand crafted log home with spectacular vaulted ceilings. 3 bedrooms, 2 with large deluxe ensuites and an open fl oor plan, round out this must see home.

$699,000mls#k166011

FORT STEELE125 acre Kootenay riverfront property. Peaceful private setting near the base of the Rocky Mountains w/ secluded sandy beaches & panoramic views.

$695,000 + GSTmls# k164966

INVERMEREThis ground fl r 2 bdrm+ den unit has incredible views of Kinsmen Beach & Lake Windermere. Amenities w/private pool, common area, hot tub area, & mins to beach & to DT Invermere.

$499,000 + GSTmls# k165189

INVERMERENewest waterfront resort community! Opportunity to purchase at entry level pricing, and enjoy this exceptional community and location. Beautifully appointed. Mtns. & valley view. 2 bedroom condos.

$324,900 + GSTmls# k163705

Solid Wood BlindsCall The Blind Guy!

Interior World (250) 342 4406

A Very Merry Christmas!

INDERMEREALLEYWV

1881 Windermere Loop Road, Windermere

342-3004

from your friends at

Have a safe & happy holiday!

from the staff at

Insurance Agencies

Invermere 342-3031Radium 347-9350

688-0213

Wishing you and yours a special Christmas!

Pretty WomanPretty WomanMerry Christmas

To All!Shirley & Staff

“Look as pretty as you feel”

OPEN: Tuesday through Saturday 9 to 5323 Kootenay Street North, Cranbrook (250) 426-3356

PIONEER ON THE ROAD—Th ese hopefully not-so-typical Pioneer readers are pursing their favourite paper while on the road in Moab, Utah. From left to right:

Gina Chivers, Bruce McIntosh and Ann McIntosh. Th ey are among the last entrants in our 2007 travel photo con-test. For more Pioneer on the Road photos, see Page 41.

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 3December 21, 2007

VALLEY NEWS

Th e Pool Side Store and the Lobby ShopLargest swimwear selection in all of Western Canada Great stocking stuff ers throughout the storesRoxy, Billabong, Phantom, Sunset Separates and much more

Gift baskets made to orderClothing, footwear, books and gift wear Open daily ‘til 6 p.m.

Call: 250.345.6448 E-mail: [email protected]

Th e Pool Side Store and the Lobby Shop

By Brian GeisPioneer Staff

Th e probation offi ce in Golden, which also ser-vices the Invermere area, will be closed and a half-time receptionist’s position eliminated, meaning the service will now be administered from the provincial correc-tions hub in Cranbrook.

Provincial Correc-tions administrator Lisa Lapointe promised no changes to probation services in Invermere as a result of the recent ad-ministrative shuffl e.

Th e Invermere-based probation offi cer who serves the Golden and Invermere courts, she said, will continue to do so, but will now report to Cranbrook for administra-tive purposes.

“Th ere will be no changes in Invermere at all,” she said.

Invermere Mayor Mark Shmigelsky and Colum-bia River-Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald both criticized provincial leaders for the change.

“We’ve already proven that court services are

needed here,” Mayor Shmiglesky said.MLA Macdonald said the move is a trend away

from the provision of local services.“Whenever we lose services, if we lose services,” he

said, “we need to ask for an explanation.”Ms. Lapointe said that in remote areas of the prov-

ince probation offi cers operate out of a hub offi ce and visit satellite offi ces on a regular rotation.

“Th is is a model we’ve employed throughout the province,” she said.

Th e Golden offi ce, she said, used to be the hub offi ce, although the probation offi cer lives in Invermere.

Th e average number of cases in Golden wasn’t high enough to support a hub offi ce, Ms. Lapointe

explained.“With only 12 clients currently in Golden,” she

said, “it’s not a responsible use of our resources.”Despite closing the Golden offi ce, she said, the

probation offi cer who serves Invermere and Golden will continue to maintain the same schedule of visita-tions, holding offi ce hours in Invermere six days per month.

Mr. Macdonald said it is important for probation offi cers to live in and be a part of the community they service.

“Th ere is a constant trend to bring things down to Cranbrook,” he said. “What the lawyers are telling me is that these services are important. It’s important to the individuals who need these services.”

Ms. Lapointe said the probation services will re-main fl exible and adjust to the needs of the clients.

“Probation offi cers are trained professionals with college degrees,” she said. “We’re not so stuck on the model that special circumstances can’t be accommo-dated.

“I think, at the end of the day, our responsibility is to the clients and their probation orders. Th at will not change.”

MLA Macdonald sees diminishing provincial ser-vices as a breach of trust between the provincial gov-ernment and the rural areas it serves.

“Whenever they use the language of effi ciency, what they are saying is that our communities are inef-fi cient,” he said. “In the past we had a social contract. We contribute a tremendous amount to the provincial economy.

“Provincial services like this one need to be dealt with on the local level. Th ey talk about effi ciencies, but what they are saying is that we are a drain on the economy. We’re not going to accept that status.”

Probation offi ce moves to Cranbrook

“Th ey talk about effi ciencies, but what they are saying is that we are a drain on the economy. We’re not going to accept that status.”

— MLA Norm Macdonald

Kootenayscampaigning

for one of 15 new CBC radio stations

By Brian GeisPioneer Staff

District of Invermere Council has added its sup-port to a growing campaign to bring CBC radio coverage to the Kootenays.

District of Invermere Mayor Mark Shmigelsky confi rmed that one of 15 new radio stations pro-posed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation would serve the full East and West Kootenay re-gions.

Regional issues are occasionally covered by Day-break South host Marion Barschel on the CBC-af-fi liated station in Kelowna.

According to the CBC’s rationale for a new sta-tion, “demographic evolution and internal migra-

tion in Canada over the last 35 years has resulted in areas of the country underserved by existing CBC radio stations.

“Th ese communities are emerging with distinct perspectives on issues and culture, needing their own voice in the national dialogue.”

Features would include morning and afternoon drive-time shows targeted to listeners throughout the Kootenays, raised profi le in the regional noon show and network programs, local news coverage seven days a week, local cultural programming and a staff of about 16 people.

Th e CBC’s Local Radio Plan has been presented to the Minister of Canadian Heritage. A report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage was tabled in Parliament in the fall of 2007.


VALLEY NEWS






Phone: 427-7755

BARRY 342-5245

ERIC342-5914

BILL341-5168

PAUL341-5300

www.rockymtnrealty.com

BARRY342-5809

MARLENE341-5600

DIANA341-5269

BRENDA342-1146

CLARE341-5335

DAVID342-1524Strata Management

WINDERMEREBeautiful log home nestled in the woods, on pastoral 0.556 acre property surrounded by many rock gardens, lilacs, perennial gardens, & fruit trees.

$429,900 + GSTmls# k162763

STODDART CREEKGorgeous log home on small acreage near Invermere. Massive log work, vaulted ceilings, gourmet kitchen, 3 bdrms, all with ensuite baths, walkout lower level.

$724,900mls# k151120

FAIRMONTHand crafted log home with spectacular vaulted ceilings. 3 bedrooms, 2 with large deluxe ensuites and an open fl oor plan, round out this must see home.

$699,000mls#k166011

FORT STEELE125 acre Kootenay riverfront property. Peaceful private setting near the base of the Rocky Mountains w/ secluded sandy beaches & panoramic views.

$695,000 + GSTmls# k164966

INVERMEREThis ground fl r 2 bdrm+ den unit has incredible views of Kinsmen Beach & Lake Windermere. Amenities w/private pool, common area, hot tub area, & mins to beach & to DT Invermere.

$499,000 + GSTmls# k165189

INVERMERENewest waterfront resort community! Opportunity to purchase at entry level pricing, and enjoy this exceptional community and location. Beautifully appointed. Mtns. & valley view. 2 bedroom condos.

$324,900 + GSTmls# k163705

Solid Wood BlindsCall The Blind Guy!


A Very Merry Christmas!

INDERMEREALLEYWV

1881 Windermere Loop Road, Windermere

342-3004

from your friends at

Have a safe & happy holiday!

from the staff at

Insurance Agencies

Invermere 342-3031Radium 347-9350

688-0213

Wishing you and yours a special Christmas!

Pretty WomanPretty WomanMerry Christmas

To All!Shirley & Staff

“Look as pretty as you feel”

OPEN: Tuesday through Saturday 9 to 5323 Kootenay Street North, Cranbrook (250) 426-3356

PIONEER ON THE ROAD—Th ese hopefully not-so-typical Pioneer readers are pursing their favourite paper while on the road in Moab, Utah. From left to right:

Gina Chivers, Bruce McIntosh and Ann McIntosh. Th ey are among the last entrants in our 2007 travel photo con-test. For more Pioneer on the Road photos, see Page 41.

By Rachel PinderPioneer Staff

Th e new mayor of Canal Flats took up his position this week.

Colin Cartwright, 56, has been on the council since the town was incorporated three and a half years ago.

He was voted in by the public and is look-ing forward to the chal-lenges which lie ahead.

“We have a lot of challenges and issues here in Canal Flats which have to be dealt with.

“I hope to deal with things in an orderly fash-ion to accommodate as much as possible, with-out being autocratic about it.

“We do face some infrastructure issues, as well as water and sewer issues.

“We don’t want to discourage development, we want it to continue. But we don’t want a jumble of houses on every piece of available land. It has to be done in the proper manner,” he said.

Mr. Cartwright was born in Invermere and has lived here all his life. He is married to Kathy and the couple has three children—Leslie, Angela and Douglas—as well as four grandchildren: Dawson, Darcy, Jonah and Kayla.

Mr. Cartwright said he is excited about his new position.

“I’m looking forward to being a part of the decision-making process in Canal Flats. I’ve sat on the sidelines for a month while this whole process has been going on, and I haven’t been able to get involved in anything which has been a bit frustrating.

“I know it’s not always a bed of roses, and there’s some awkward times but that’s all part of being mayor.

“I’ve always been very involved in the community, and I like to be at the forefront of what’s happening so I’m looking forward to proceeding with that,” he said.

Mr. Cartwright said he would be spending Christmas at home with his family in Canal Flats, although he may make a trip to Edmonton to visit his granddaughter Kayla over the fes-tive break.

Mr. Cartwright replaced former mayor John Tilley, who died unex-pectedly in September.

Canal Flats Chief Election Offi cer Gloria Perry said a by-election planned for January 14th will fi ll the council seat vacated by Mr. Cartwright when he fi led for mayor.

Emile Morin, who served as the fi rst mayor of Canal Flats, will be up against Bruce Woodbury for the seat.

Mr. Woodbury is the former Chief Administrative Offi cer for Ca-nal Flats.


We’d like to wish all of our friends and neighbours a

Happy & Healthy Holiday Season!From all of us here at

L i v e w e l l w i t h

733 - 12th St. Invermere(250) 342-8877

“The Stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that soon would be there.”

Friday, Dec 21st 10 am - 8 pmSaturday, Dec 22nd 10 am - 5 pmSunday, Dec 23rd 12 pm - 4 pmMonday, Dec 24th 10 am -2 pm

Dec 25th & 26th Closed

“MERRY CHRISTMAS”(250) 342-7238 Downtown Invermere

514 13th St. Invermere 342-6901

from

Wishing you all the best for a joyous Holiday Season!

Colin Cartwright

New Canal Flatsmayor takes offi ce


CHRISTMAS HAMPER HELPERS—Once again, some familiar faces and some new ones were on hand to help turn a mountain of donated and purchased food items and gifts into Christmas hampers for the less fortunate. Th is band of Santa’s elves was work-

ing at the Invermere Community Hall bright and early Wednesday morning, and the hampers were distributed on Wednesday afternoon. Th ank you to all the individuals, families and business that made someone else’s Christmas a little happier.

Regular priced clothing

30% off Ladies Sleepwear

50% off Already reduced items take another

10% off Regular priced fabric

30% off Sewing members

40% off

regular priced fabrics

Ladies bras & panties

30% off

Already reduced fabric take an additional

10% off Sorel Boots take

an additional

10% off

Slippers 40% off Big Bill Work Wear

40% off

Yarn 30% off

Dickies, Hoodies & Jogging pants

40% off Men’s & Ladies long underwear

40% off Hats, Mitts, Scarves, gloves

40% off All sale item sales are fi nal!

Sale items may not be put on hold. Sale applies to in-stock items only!

*Excluding Sewing Machines

BOXING WEEK BLOWOUT!Everything 20% - 40% off

TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 10% OFF PREVIOUSLY REDUCED ITEMS!

Invermere (250) 342-9313

*

December 27th - 31st


PERSPECTIVE

is independently owned and operated and is published weekly by Abel Creek Publishing Inc.

Box 868, #8, 1008 - 8th Avenue, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0Phone (250) 341-6299 · Fax (250) 341-6229 Email: upioneer@

telus.net · www.columbiavalleypioneer.com

PIONEERThe Columbia Valley

Th e material, written or artistic, may not be reprinted or electronically repro-duced in any way without the written consent of the publisher. Th e opinions and statements in articles, columns and advertising are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff of Th e Columbia Valley Pioneer. It is agreed by any display advertiser requesting space that the newspaper’s responsibility, if any, for errors or omissions of any kind is limited to the amount paid for by the advertiser for that portion of the space as occupied by the incorrect item and there shall be no liability in any event greater than the amount paid for the advertisement.

Rachel PinderReporter

Dave SutherlandAdvertising Sales

Elinor FlorencePublisher

Brian GeisEditor

Zephyr RawbonGraphic Designer

Michele McGroganOffi ce Manager

Sarah TurkProject Manager

Christmas presentsTh e fi ve Barbour children pose with their Christmas gifts at their home in Wilmer. George is holding a baseball bat, Ed with what looks like a toy rake, Henry with a ball and a toy hoe, Albert with a copy of Th e Night Before Christmas, and Mabel with what looks like a tiny baking set. Note the Christmas tree decorated with paper streamers.

Photo courtesy of Windermere District Historical Society

Historical LensHistorical LensTh e Greatest Story

The Pioneer’s 2007 Christmas gift listHere is our annual tongue-in-cheek wish list for

our favourite people in the valley.• Invermere Belly Dancers: Long underwear so

they don’t off end anyone’s sensibilities.• Developer Doug McIntosh: a pair of hip-wad-

ers to wear when he starts building Lake Windermere Resort.

• Invermere town planner Meredith Hamstead: A trip to India so she can study high-density hous-ing in downtown Calcutta.

• Every RCMP member: A chance to be Judge Judy for the Day.

• Invermere councillor Gerry Taft: A pair of Size 16 shoes to fi ll when he runs for mayor next year.

• Local letter-writer and activist Michael Mee-han: A copy of the book How to Win Friends and Infl uence People.

• Jim Abbott, MP: A direct weekly fl ight from Cranbrook to Taiwan so he can continue building relationships between the two countries.

• Fundraiser extraordinaire Cam Berry: Nerves of steel to continue his push for an arts centre.

• Invermere councillor Bob Campsall: A bicycle so he can ride to his new home in Larch Point with-out contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

• Canal Flats mother Lea-Ann Lechman: An early labour detection system so she won’t be forced to have another baby in her home.

• Anti-light pollution activist Arnor Larsen: a sleeping mask to block out the unwanted glare.

By Elinor FlorencePioneer Publisher

At this time of the year, the Nativ-ity Story once again takes centre stage. Whether (like most fundamentalist Christians) you believe in the literal nar-rative of the Christian Bible, whether (like most other Christians) you think the tale was pieced together from sever-al sources, or whether (like many other Canadians) you believe the entire story is a fabrication, you must admit that the tale itself is a compelling one.

Th is is a story that resonates throughout our culture. Th e Madonna and child have been reproduced thou-sands of times, ranging from the richest oil paintings hanging in the Vatican to a chunk of plastic hanging from a taxi driver’s rear view mirror in Bolivia.

It has been sculpted in every me-dium including marble, stained glass, metal, paper, clay and neon lights.

Some reproductions are tacky, oth-ers are beautiful, others are as simple and moving as the nativity scene one of my four-year-old daughters crafted one year using her Barbie dolls (one of them,

with a shorn head, represented Joseph).Th e tale has also been retold many

times, in books, television programs, and places of worship across the globe. Last year the attempt was made, result-ing in mixed reviews, to bring the story to the big screen for the fi rst time in a movie simply called Th e Nativity Story.

It has all the elements of a fascinat-ing human yet magical drama—the pregnant woman riding on a donkey, the husband desperately searching for a place to rest, the star rising in the east like a comet and leading the three Kings of the Orient to Bethlehem, a host of angels singing Halleleuia in the heavens. And then the most powerful event of all times – the birth of a new infant.

Nothing could be more inspiration-al than a birth, no matter where or to whom. Every birth is the most optimis-tic of all events in human history, for every newborn infant has the potential to change the world for the better.

Th is Christmas, no matter what your beliefs, refl ect on the ancient power and beauty of the story, and its symbolism of mankind’s yearning for a better future.


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Country EstateWindermere private cul-de-sac creek side acreage with spectacular views in every direction. Level and landscaped with fl owing water, ponds, and centrally located for golf, skiing and lake. 4000+ sq ft home with commercial options plus workshop and more. $1,650,000

Radium Hot Springs $149,900That’s right - $149,900. Quarter share this recreation property on the eighth fairway at Radium Springs Resort and spend carefree weeks in your own cabin without the burden of full ownership. Fully furnished, move right in just bring your golf clubs, skis, bathing suits and game on.

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Kootenay Ranch133 acres of rolling hills, hayfi elds, wetlands and high plateaus perfectly sited fronting the Columbia River with outstanding views of the Rockies and Purcells. Fenced, irrigated and ready to go for a small horse ranch, mixed farming or eco-tourism operation. House and outbuildings complete the package. Don’t miss this one! $899,000

Rocky Mountain HighPerched above the river valley at the end of a quiet country road this secluded retreat is a naturalist’s paradise. 80 acres of mixed fi r and western red cedar forest canopy covers multiple benchlands rising up above the wetlands. A modest home with outbuildings provide natural comfort with extensive solar exposure. NOT IN ALR. $1,175,000.

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New LocationJason, Mike & Rachel are ready & willing to help you with all your rental needs.

Identity of cougar hunter disputed

We got a handful of calls and letters about last week’s Historical Lens photo. We didn’t have a name for the man in the photo, but a couple of our readers claimed he is Martin Morigeau, a well-known Metis hunter and trapper who lived in the Canal Flats area and whom the school there was named after.

Mr. Morigeau was known for his taking of cougar pelts, according to Jim Ashworth of Fairmont Hot Springs. He said he believed the photograph was taken around 1935.

But two others claimed the man draped in a cougar pelt is Eneas Jimmy, also known as Little Jimmy or Little Jim.

According to Mr. Jimmy’s grand-daughter Mary Jimmy, Little Jimmy belonged to the Akisqnuk First Nation, then known as the Columbia Lake In-dian Band.

In a message written to Th e Pioneer, Mary said: “I know that is my grandfa-ther as I was given the same photo by Ron Ede (former newspaper publisher in Invermere). Ron Ede knew my father Lucien Jimmy and our family. I believe this picture was taken around 1920.”

Local historian Ray Crook also believes the photo was taken of Little Jimmy. He remembers that Little Jim-my lived on the northwest corner of the

band’s reserve near Windermere.Wayne Price of Edgewater called to

say the photo was of Martin Morige-au, but later called back to say he had changed his mind. After studying the photograph again, he saw that the man was wearing moccasins.

“Martin Morigeau never wore moc-casins,” he said.

Thanks for organizingthe Christmas Train event

Dear Editor:

I would like to take this oppor-tunity and venue to publicly off er a very large THANK YOU to Linda Dickerson of Radium Hot Springs for her eff orts on behalf of the Food Bank here in the Valley.

Th rough Linda’s eff orts and in conjunction with a very large and very diverse group of people and organizations scattered from across our valley, we were able to partici-pate and observe maybe the largest number of people to attend Th e Christmas Train stop in Radium this last Friday night.

Th e weather was cold and snowy,

although I don’t think Linda had anything to do with that, but it was perfect for the Christmas Train.

Th e number of kids and adults who attended, the cheers and hap-piness throughout the attendees, the companies and owners donat-ing time and eff ort to feed and heat guests and neighbors, was absolutely spectacular.

A number of bonfi res to warm the tootsies and fi ngers was greatly appreciated.

Linda, you done did good. Th ank you.

David PaceyRadium Hot Springs


www.eagleranchresort.com

Join us for the 1st New Year’s Celebration in Th e Clubhouse at Eagle Ranch! Enjoy fi ne dining with an exquisite 6-course Chef ’s tasting menu. Local folk jazz group Combo Akimbo will add the musical delight, kicking it up on into the night. Th e champagne toast is on the host! We’ll even make sure you stay topped up on our Service Beyond™. 3 seating times available starting at 6:30 p.m. on December 31.

Let this be the beginning of a great 2008, tickets $100, reserve with us today!

Holiday Hours of Operation: Monday to Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. & Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.* Monday, December 24th - 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Closed for the 25th, 26th - Regular Hours - 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Call 250-342-6560 for restaurant reservations • www.eagleranchresort.com

Elevate Your New Year’s Experience

Merry Christmasand Happy New Yearfrom Th e Pioneer!

We would like to wish our loyal readers and ad-vertisers the happiest of holidays and a very pros-perous New Year! From left to right, standing: Of-fi ce Manager Michele Mc-Grogan, Publisher Elinor Florence, Advertising Sales Associate Dave Sutherland, Reporter Rachel Pinder and Project Manager Sarah Turk. Seated, left to right: Graphic Designer Zephyr Rawbon, Advertising Sales Associate Bob Friesen and Editor Brian Geis.

>>>>>> >>> >>> >>>>EncoreWHAT’S HAPPENING IN THECOLUMBIA VALLEY

MUSIC • VISUAL ARTS • DINING • BAR SCENE • ENTERTAINMENT • PERFORMANCE ARTS

Your Weekly Guide to

What’s Happening Around the

Columbia Valley

PAGE 11

Out & About

PAGE 24

MOVIE REVIEW

LAKESIDE BENEFIT

PAGE 10

Visit columbiavalleyarts.com for our current events calendar, or call 342-4423.

What does ARTmean to you?

Merry Christmas from the Columbia Valley Arts Council Board of Directors.

Pynelogs Cultural CentreOffice closed from December 22 - December 30.

Call To Artists · 2008 Gallery Season · Applications are available for those artists interested in showing at the Pynelogs Cultural Centre for the 2008 Gallery Season. Call 342-4423 for more information.

Canadian singer Melanie Doane of Halifax invited the audience to participate during the CPR Holiday Train stopover in Radium last Friday. For more, see Page 12.

Photo by Dave Sutherland

Reviewed by Elinor FlorencePioneer Staff

Once is a low-budget independent Irish movie—you can tell there wasn't a huge number of people working on it by the short list of credits.

It's a charming little romance with lots of music. In fact, don't even think about renting this movie unless you are in the mood to listen to some full-length solos by the two main characters.

Written and directed by John Car-ney, Once features Glen Hansard, an Irish musician in real life who plays another nameless Irish musician busk-ing on the streets of Dublin. Marketa Irglova is a Czeck musician who plays a nameless Czeck musician who is clean-ing houses and selling fl owers to support her little daughter and her mother.

Th e two of them discover that they make beautiful music together, al-though both are suff ering from broken

hearts. Th e Guy's girlfriend moved away to London, while the Girl's husband is back in Czechoslovakia.

Th e pair decide to cut an album and with the help of some other street mu-sicians they record an amazing collec-tion of sad and angry love songs while helping each other heal their wounds. Th e two are dating in real life, which ex-plains the on-screen chemistry.

Many of the songs were written by the two stars themselves. Glen Hansard is the vocalist and guitarist for the Irish rock group Th e Frames, and appeared in the 1991 fi lm Th e Commitments.

If you're tired of schlocky Christ-mas movies, this is a pleasant, inoff en-sive and heart-warming movie to watch during the holidays.



Movie Review: Once

RATING: 7 OUT OF 10 HEADS

Warmest wishes and a big thank you to you, our

customers, neighbours and friends. Your support means the world to us and we hope you enjoy a truly memorable

holiday season and all the best in the new year.

From the team at

Bring in the New Year at

BLACK LIGHT DRESS WHITE

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTYParty till 4 am

Tickets on sale TODAY (front desk of Invermere Inn)

LATE LUNCHDOOR PRIZES

PARTY FAVOURSBOTTLES OF BUBBLYGREAT DRINK

SPECIALSTICKETS $20 PER PERSON (MUST BE 19 YEARS OF AGE) VALID FOR ENTRY UNTIL 11PM


Gone Hollywood’sTOP FIVE OF THE WEEK

DVD VHSPS2 PS3 XBOX

XBOX 360 GQ WiiPO Box 2800, 503 - 7th Ave., Invermere, V0A 1K0

[email protected]

1 Bourne Ultimatum2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix3 Super Bad4 Pirates of the Caribbean5 Live Free or Die Hard

Last Week’s Top 5 RentalsGoneHOLLYWOODV I D E O

New Releases December 251 The Heartbreak Kid2 Rush Hour 3 3 The Brothers Soloman4 The Kingdom5 Eastern Promises

New Releases December 181 The Simpsons Movie2 Stardust3 Underdog4 Balls of Fury 5 Halloween

Wilmer Community Club staging fi reworks show

this Christmas EveBy Brian GeisPioneer Staff

Th e Christmas lights won't be the only thing to see in Wilmer this Christ-mas Eve. Famous for its festive holiday light displays, Wilmer will be adding a new attraction this year: Fireworks!

Wilmer resident Tricia Pike said an impromptu fi reworks display was orga-nized last year when $400 was donated for the event.

"We decided to just make it an an-nual thing," she said.

Th is year, additional grant money was procured, refreshments were or-ganized, entertainers were signed and Santa himself was invited.

Ms. Pike announced this week

that Mr. Claus has accepted the invita-tion and will take time out of his busy Christmas Eve itinerary to appear, in person, at the event.

Th e community, she said, is invited to the fi eld behind Wilmer Community Hall at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Santa is expected to arrive at 7:15 and the fi reworks will begin at 8 p.m.

Attendees can expect to warm themselves by the bonfi re and enjoy the hot chocolate and coff ee the Com-munity Club will be serving. Local disc jockey Shawn Murray will be spinning the Christmas tunes.

Donations will be accepted for the Wilmer Playground Project. Th e Com-munity Club, Ms. Pike said, has been raising money for a new playgound.


Toby Th eatre

• 7:30 pm, Dec. 26-29: Bee Movie.

CHRISTMAS CALENDAR

Invermere Public LibraryOpen Saturday, Dec. 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Closed Dec. 23 to Tuesday, Jan. 1.Open Wednesday, Jan. 2 from noon to 8 p.m.

Panorama Mountain VillageDec. 22: Santa’s Workshop

Dec. 23: Christmas Movie, Great HallDec. 24: Pictures with Santa and Pano Pete

Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Service and CarollingDec. 24: Christmas Eve Dinner

Dec. 25: Christmas MovieDec. 27: Syndicate Rail Jam

Dec. 29: Winter WonderlandDec. 31: New Year’s Live Entertainment with Paul

Issaks and Penelope the ClownDec. 31: New Year’s Buff et Dinner

Fairmont Hot Springs ResortDec. 24: Torch Light Parade and Fireworks

Dec. 25: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ski Hill OpenDec. 26: 7 a.m. to noon, Boxing Day Buff et

Dec. 26: Kids’ Adventure Ski SchoolDec. 30: 7 a.m. to noon: Sunday Brunch

Dec. 31: 7 p.m. New Year’s GalaJan. 1: New Year’s Day Breakfast Buff et

Fairmont Hot Springs PoolOpen 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Christmas Eve: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.Christmas Day: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free!

January 1: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.Call 345-6030 for info.

Invermere Th rift Store:Closed until January 9th.

CHRISTMAS CALENDAR

Radium Hot Springs PoolDec. 21 and Dec. 22: Noon to 10 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 23: Noon to 9 p.m.Christmas Eve: Noon to 9 p.m.Christmas Day: Noon to 9 p.m.

Dec. 26 to Jan. 6: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.Fo info, call 347-9485.

Eddie Mountain Memorial ArenaPublic Skating Schedule $2/each

December 23rd, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th: 5:45 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

Christmas Eve: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Columbia Valley Pioneer Newspaper:Offi ce closed Saturday, Dec. 22 to Sunday, Dec. 30.

Open Dec. 31, closed New Year’s Day.For info: 341-6299.

Invermere Post Offi ceChristmas Eve: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Dec. 25 & 26: ClosedDec. 29: 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.Dec. 31: 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

January 1st: Closed

Radium RotaryDec. 21: 7 pm Christmas carolling, meet at the Prestige Inn in Radium and dress warmly. Song

sheets provided. Money raised will go to the Food Bank. For info: Sharlene, 347-9625.

Rockies HockeyDecember 21st: 7:30 pm

C.V. Rockies vs. Sicamous Eagles, Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena.

Invermere Business CommitteeDecember 21st: Late night shopping in downtown

Invermere until 8 p.m. tonight, more than 35 businesses open.

WilmerDecember 24th: 7:15 pm Santa arrives in the fi eld

behind the Wilmer Community Hall, and fi reworks will begin at 8 pm. Th e Wilmer Community Club will service hot chocolate and coff ee around a bonfi re, with

Shawn Murray acting as disc jockey.

CHRISTMAS CHURCH SERVICES

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23:• 8:30 a.m. Morning Worship, All Saints, Edgewater

• 10 am: Christmas message and carols at the new Prayer Centre, Radium Christian Fellowship

• 10:30 a.m. Communion, Christ Church Trinity, Invermere

• 10:30 a.m. Regular church service at Lake Windermere Alliance Church

• 7 pm: Service at Brisco Community Church, Radium Christian Fellowship

MONDAY, DECEMBER 24:• 2:30 p.m. Christmas Eve service at the summit

of Panorama Mountain Village, Lake Windermere Alliance Church

• 4 p.m. Family Christmas Service, Christ Church Trinity, Invermere

• 5 p.m. Canadian Martyrs’ Church, Invermere• 6 p.m. Christmas Eve service at Lake Windermere

Alliance Church• 7 p.m. Canadian Martyrs’ Church, Invermere• 8 p.m. Christmas Eve service in the Great Hall

at Panorama Mountain Village, Lake Windermere Alliance Church

• 8 p.m. Service at All Saints, Edgewater• 10 p.m. Service at St. Peter’s Church, Windermere

• 11 p.m. Carols, St. Joseph’s Church, Radium• 11:30 p.m. Mass, St. Joseph’s Church, Radium• 11:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Communion, Christ

Church Trinity, Invermere

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25:• 9 a.m. Canadian Martyrs’ Church, Invermere

• 11 a.m. St. Anthony’s Church, Canal Flats

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29:• 7 p.m. Canadian Martyrs Church, Invermere

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30:• 10:30 a.m. Morning Worship, Christ Church Trinity

• 10:30 a.m. Celebration Sunday and Communion, Lake Windermere Alliance Church

MONDAY, DECEMBER 31:• 7 p.m. Canadian Martyrs Church, Invermere

TUESDAY, JANUARY 1:• 10 a.m. St. Joseph’s Church, Radium

• Noon: St. Anthony’s Church, Canal Flats

Out & AboutPlease call 341-6299

or Email us at [email protected] enter your event in our FREE listings.


Elevate Your New Year’s Experience

Warmest Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season!Everyone at Eagle Ranch extends wishes for a happy holiday season to our community and our friends.

Wishing that everyone will enjoy family, friends, laughter and good cheer throughout this holiday season. And for a New Year fi lled with hope, happiness, health and prosperity!

Merry Christmas and best wishes for a wonderful 2008!

Call (250) 342-6560 for restaurant reservations • www.eagleranchresort.com

For a complete listing of church addresses and phone numbers, please see Page 47.


Merry Christmas and Happy New YearMerry Christmas and Happy New Year

Computer Pros341-1114

Merry Christmas to all of you from all of us here at

We hope your holidays

are a gas!

Radium Hot Springs EssoRadium Hot Springs Esso

7507 Main St. West

347-9726

(250) 688-5105 www.envirocustomhomes.ca

Whistle StopTh e annual CPR Holiday Train stopped in Radium last Friday so hundreds could

enjoy music and contribute to the Food Bank. A host of entertainers kept the crowd amused, with performers including Wide Mouth Mason, a trio of musicians from Sas-katoon; and Juno award-winning pop singer Melanie Doan, as well as the man in red himself—Santa Claus. Local organizer Linda Dickerson said all donations to the Food Bank will stay right here in the valley. Pictured here are local businessmen Steve Kuffl er, left, and Dan Emms, right, who fl ipped burgers in Radium during the Holiday Train visit, while Ray Taft of Invermere looked on from the background.

December 21, 2007 The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 13

The management & staff of Skandia Concrete & Kootenay Paving would like to wish all of their friends

and neighbours a wonderful holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

1756 Highway 93/95 Windermere 342-6500

– –

– –

Skandia Concrete

Kootenay Paving

Warmest Wishes from

“Locally serving the Kootenays”

Invermere 341-3206

Brightest and Best Wishes

from

109 Industrial Road #2

342-9918

DECK ELECTRICTRAIN SPOTTING—Bundled up against the cold, several hundred spectators turned out to see the CPR Holiday Train including a busload of seniors from Invermere. It was a great family evening for the holiday season, and raised much-needed food funds for the Columbia Valley Food Bank. Photo by Dave Sutherland


YOUR MONEY

Market Action As of December 17th, 2007 Weekly Gain/Loss YTDS&P/TSX Composite Index 13,387 -552.89 3.71%Dow Jones Industrial Average 13,167 -558.80 5.65%Nikkei 15,249 -674.21 -11.95%Oil (New York) $90.63 2.77 48.46%Gold (New York) $799.30 -14.20 24.89%Canadian Dollar (in US dollars) $0.9943 -0.0002 18.82%

How to withdraw fundsafter your retirement

Brendan Donahue, BCOMM, CIM, FMAInvestment Advisor, Berkshire Securities Inc.

342-2112

Jason Elford, CFPInvestment Advisor, Berkshire Investment Group Inc.

342-5052

The Columbia Valley’s Premiere Wealth

Management Firm

PlanningEstate Planning, Retirement Planning,

Retirement Projections, Income Splitting,

Registered Educational Savings Plans

ServicesRSP Loans, Mortgage Referrals,

Pension Transfers, Group RRSPs.

Ask us about our free consultations and no fee accounts.

Most people review their Investment portfolio regularly!When was the last time you reviewed your Life Insurance Portfolio?

In our ever changing world it is important that your insurance is reviewed constantly to ensure that it is the best and most appropriate coverage available.

As one of the valley’s only truly independent Life Insurance brokers, I have access to most of the major carriers and can help you to ensure that you have the best products to suit your needs.

For a complimentary review and to see if we can lower your cost or improve the quality of your existing coverage call me at 342-5052 or just stop in to the Berkshire offi ce and ask to see Jason.

Jason Elford has been a wealth management specialist in Calgary for more than 9 years. Now a full time resident of Invermere, Jason recently joined the Berkshire offi ce with Brendan Donahue.

Jason ElfordCertifi ed Financial Planner

Insurance Advisor712 - 10th Street, Invermere

Phone: 342-5052

Most Canadians spend considerable time think-ing about how they can save for retirement. But how many of us know what to actually do with our port-folios when it comes time to retire? How many of us have a plan for making withdrawals from our retire-ment portfolio?

Unfortunately, many Canadians do not have a clear understanding of how they will utilize their sav-ings to supplement their retirement nor do they un-derstand how the monies will be taxed.

A carefully-managed systematic withdrawal plan may be the answer.

Th e Systematic Withdrawal PlanA Systematic Withdrawal Plan allows you to make

a regular series of withdrawals (every month, for exam-ple) from an investment portfolio that’s still growing. Ideally, portfolio growth compensates for the amount you’re taking out every month, allowing you to keep up the withdrawals indefi nitely. Th ink of the plan as a rain barrel: you take water out from the bottom at the same time that water is coming in from the top (assuming it rains once in a while).

Managing the spreadTh e critical element of every systematic with-

drawal plan is the diff erence between the money com-ing out of the portfolio and the money going in. At fi rst glance, it seems that as long as withdrawals equal growth, the withdrawal plan can continue indefi nitely. In the real world, however, there are market correc-tions, infl ation, and taxes to worry about. Which is why it’s best to build in some breathing room when implementing a systematic withdrawal plan.

Th e importance of growthObviously, to stay on top of the spread, investors

need to invest some portion of the SWP portfolio for growth. In practical terms, that means investing in eq-uities, equity mutual funds, etc. Th at’s a little diff erent than the conventional wisdom that advises retirees to stick to bonds and other guaranteed investments, but think about the barrel: to ensure there’s always water in the barrel, you need to keep water coming in as fast as it’s going out. Equities are the asset class that off ers you the best chance of keeping up with your with-drawals (and infl ation) over the long term.

A new twist on withdrawal plansIn response to the increased interest retirees are

showing in Systematic withdrawal plans, several mu-tual fund companies have built customized systematic withdrawal plan funds that allow investors to make withdrawals in a tax-effi cient way. Th e fund works much like a normal systematic withdrawal plan, with one distinct diff erence: the special structure of these funds allows those monthly withdrawals to consist primarily of “return of capital,” which is not normally subject to tax.

As an added bonus, return of capital is not con-sidered income for the purposes of calculating old age security and other government benefi ts, potentially leaving retirees with even more income.

A tax-effi cient systematic withdrawal plan isn’t a strategy you just throw together—it requires detailed planning. If you’re considering a systematic withdraw-al plan, talk to your fi nancial advisor and make sure it’s set up to meet your specifi c needs.

Brendan DonahueInvestment AdvisorPhone: 342-2112

GIC Rates as of December 18th cashable 4.50%90 days 4.75%1 yr 4.75%2 yrs 4.75%3 yrs 4.90%4 yrs 4.95%5 yrs 5.00%

New USD High Interest Savings Accounts

No minimum balances 4.30%

No fees

Interest calculated daily, paid monthly

Redeemable at any time

RRSP and RRIF eligible

InvestmentsGICs, Stocks, Bonds, Preferred Shares,

Income Trusts, Mutual Funds, High Interest Savings, RRSPs

Rates subject to change without notice.Subject to availability.


ChristmasGreetingsfrom our family

to yours.

Invermere 342-3575

to all our

customers around

the Globefrom the staff at

(250) 342-6978 Invermere

Christmas Greetings

Merry Christmasfrom Brendan, Jason,

Sarah and Denise at the BERKSHIRE OFFICE

Phone: (250) 342-2112

Wishing you and

yours a very Merry

Christmas and a

Happy New Year

From the friendly staff at Palliser Printing

Nollaig Chridheil dhuibh(A hearty Christmas to you)

from all of us at

WONDERLAND—Th e old stagecoach stop on the Mountainside Golf Course at Fairmont Hot Springs is overlooked by a majestic mountain swathed in mist.

Photo by Wayne Collens


PicturePerfect

Barry Jonas with his Christmas postcards,

just part of his collection of Alberta postmarks that he

has built up since the early 1980s.


Every picture tells a story, so the saying goes.Th at’s just as true for postcards, as Barry Jonas found

out when he started collecting them more than 20 years ago.

Barry has increased his collection after picking up post-cards at auctions and rummaging around at garage sales, and says each one has a story to tell.

“Like many people, I had a collection of stamps when I was younger. Th en I went away from it for a number of years. Before I retired, I used to work in Edmonton where there was a fl ourishing stamp club and I got hooked.

“Most philanthropists begin to specialize af-ter a while, and I chose to get into collecting Alberta postmarks,” he said.

Barry grew up in Calgary and spent his working life in Alberta. He and his wife Sharon bought a cottage in Columere Park in the 1970s and retired out here in 2000. Th ey have two daughters.

After a career in education, Barry was a high school history teacher who was then hired by the province to develop the social studies exam for the high school diploma.

And Barry is still an avid collector of Alberta postmarks even today, and says he has several hundred at least.

So does he have a favourite?“I don’t have a particular favourite, I just

enjoy the challenge of collecting,” Barry smiles.“I’ve got a bunch of Calgary and Edmonton

letters and I could spend hours and hours on pre-sentation, as I like to keep them all displayed in a binder,” he said.

Barry is still a member of Edmonton Stamp Club, and reckons he’s been building his collection since the early 1980s.

And what is it that keeps his interest going after all these years?

Well, Barry just puts it down to his fascination with history.

“I think it’s just the attraction of trying to build up a postal his-tory. It’s tough to get a lot of this material, and I often go into an-tique stores and garage sales to see what I can fi nd.

“A lot of people throw this ma-terial away because they don’t think it’s valuable, but it’s so historically valuable.”

Continued on Page 17

Greetings from

the past


Continued from Page 16

“Postcards tell all diff erent kinds of stories, where you can really read between the lines. Th e things that aren’t said can sometimes be quite revealing and the hardship people faced in the early part of the century is very apparent.

“Here, we’re dealing with the earliest pioneers in Canada. Mail was very important to homesteaders, and people would faithfully go to the postbox every day to get their mail.

“Collecting postmarks is a hobby which not only gives me hours of time well spent, but I also think the use of stamps is declining, so now I’m working against time to present something that’s a very strong part of our culture.

“More and more people are corresponding now by email, but a thank you note which has been handwritten and mailed shows so much more thought than an email, which can be de-leted. A letter or a postcard can be read again and again.

“I think it’s a hobby which will gain ground once the baby boomers begin to retire, but a lot of children are not so into it.

“I knew that when I was contemplating retirement I could spend hours each day organizing my collection if I wanted to. I’ve hoarded so much material on the postal history of Alberta, I hope I can salvage something that’s long since dis-appeared for future generations to enjoy,” Barry said.

By Barry Jonas

Even in 1908 Christmas was overwhelming—here’s an interest-ing postcard in which the front

nicely sums up a common concern for

the Christmas season!Seibertville, a post offi ce which opened

in 1908 and closed in 1917 (likely a lonely homestead just east of Carstairs on the prairie, long since vanished) was named after the fi rst and only post-

master, a certain L. Siebert. Our postcard inviting the family to come for Christmas is addressed to a relation “Ezra Siebert,” who was likely also home-steading nearby. It reads: “I see you feel good so do I we got fi ne weather at present will have a Christmas tree Dec 25/08 all come AJL.”

Th e American postmark is partly indistinct but is most likely from a border state given the time frame. It is dated Canada, Dec. 22/08.

Th e receiving postmark is quite late, Jan. 09/09. Why the delay? Th e card may have been mis-delivered.

A very indistinct transit mark hints at Elkton, Alta Dec. 28/08—quite a long way away.

Ezra and family may have missed the invita-tion but much appreciated the thought.

Every historic postcard tells a little story

Barry’s collection reveals a rich tapestry of colours, de-signs and lettering on these beautiful historic postcards from Christmasses past.


Best of the Season to our valued

customers from

1225B 7th Ave. Invermere

342-8604

Melissa, Cindy, Deb and Rose Marie

Best of the Season to all our Customers from

141 Industrial Rd. 2

342-9824

(250) 489-2106 Open 7 days a week

Clip this out for 20% off anything in the store!

3 fl oors of antiques and collectibles1525 Cranbrook St. N., Cranbrook

Clip this out for 20% off anything in the store!

3 fl oors of antiques and collectibles

expires Dec. 31st ‘07

• Drinking Water Systems • Water Softeners• Whole House or

Specialised FiltrationCall (250) 342-5089

385 Laurier Street Invermere, BC V0A 1K0

WATER CO. LTD.

Home For Th eHolidaysHome For Th eHolidays

Th ere’s no place we’d rather be at Christmas than right here with

all our good friends and

neighbours. We wish you

all a beautiful holiday and a happy and

prosperous new year.





Phone: 427-7755www.rockymtnrealty.comwww.rockymtnrealty.com





Phone: 427-7755

Th ere’s no place we’d rather be at Christmas than right here with

all our good friends and

neighbours. We wish you

all a beautiful holiday and a happy and

prosperous new year.

Th e valley’s only locally owned, locally operated newspaper

�T H E P I O N E E R�


Th e Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena was packed to the rafters on Sunday as a huge crowd watched the spectacular fi gure skating at the Santa on Vacation Ice Carnival event.

It was a fantastic afternoon organised by the Co-lumbia Valley Figure Skating Club, and close to 80 skaters of all ages took part. It was also the fi rst time for skaters from Canal Flats.

Skaters performed routines in various groups, as well as duets and soloists, and there were several guest skaters who showed off their skills as well.

Th e event has been going for at least the past 25 years, and club president Kelly Geiger said it was defi -nitely the biggest crowd they’d seen in fi ve years.

Kelly has been involved with the skating club for the past nine years since her daughter Kirsten was four years old, and she said it’s the one big fundraiser of the year.

“It’s a fun way of raising money for the club, and we raise all our money through events like this. Our coaches helped work out the routines, with help from a couple of the older girls. It was an excellent afternoon and I think everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

“Th e kids have improved immensely and are a joy to watch. Our enrolment is way up this year and we are going to have a very successful season. And thanks to all the parents who bring their kids to the arena every week to enjoy the sport of skating.

“I need to give a big thank you to our coaching staff this year. Without their dedication it would not be possible to give children this opportunity to try this great sport. And a huge thank you to Denise Reid who dedicates so many hours to this club and has now started sessions in Canal Flats, giving those kids an opportunity to skate.

“Also, a thank you to Danielle and Jason Elford for fi nding the time to help out our club within their busy schedule and a new baby,” Kelly said.

She explained the coaches are also assisted by ama-teur coaches and pre-school class assistants from the Columbia Valley Rockies.

“To all the skaters who have practised so hard this year and are here to show us what they have achieved, Way To Go! Watching you improve every session makes all the work worthwhile. And thanks to all the parents who helped me out to make this carnival a success. And we’re grateful too for the support from all the businesses in the valley,” Kelly added.

Registration for the next session will be held on January 7th, from 3.30 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the arena. Anyone who is interested in getting their child in-volved should call Kelly at 342-3213.

Santa on VacationIce Carnival

skating success


We would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and thank you for showing such great support for the Angel Tree initiative

350 Laurier, Athalmer 342-9933

Invermere Barbers

would like to wish their friends and customers a

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a

HAPPY NEW YEAR!507B 7th Ave. Invermere

341-3240

Wishing you Health & Wellness in 2008 from

DEANNA EMPEY(AB) RMT

For an appointment call

[email protected]

Massage & Wellness

STATION PUBNew Year’s Eve Supper

One Sitting • 6:30 pm

8oz Prime Rib $28.50Wishing you a

Happy New Year from the management & staff

Reservations Please 342-8346

Wishing you all the best in this holiday season and the coming year!

1222 7th Ave. Invermere 342-9237

FUTURE SKATING STAR—Cianna Verge, age 3, took to her blades like a duck to water, complete with water wings to protect her elbows from the ice, when she performed at the arena on Sunday. Photo by Rachel Pinder


We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!AvionConstruction Ltd.

Columbia Valley District Offi ceINVERMERE Phone: (250) 342-9866

Sending our thoughts and prayers to you this Christmas!

4806 Selkirk, Edgewater

347-9519

Pip’s Country Store

Invermere Dental Clinic.... Family Dentistry including Orthodontics and Cosmetics

Wendy, Ashley, Tami, Chris, Cyndee, Kristine, Mary, Richard and Sherry.

“It was a pleasure serving you”

Tidings of Comfort & Joy from all of us at

(250) 342-9713

Valley Hair Styling342-6355

(phone for appointment)

1313 7th Ave., Invermere, BC

MerryChristmas

from the management and staff of


Students from J. A. Laird School had an early Christmas dinner on Fri-day when more than 300 meals were served up by parents and members of the Parent Advisory Council.

And it was all thanks to the generos-ity of Sobeys supermarket, who donated all the food, which included 11 turkeys, potatoes, peas, carrots, corn, along with candy canes and oranges for dessert and cranberry-fl avoured pop.

Principal David Gee said the annual Christmas dinner had been going on at the school for at least the past 10 years.

“Th e children really look forward to it, especially the ones who have been

year after year. And it’s all thanks to Sobeys and all the parents who volun-teered to prepare the food and serve up on the day,’ he said.

Th e preparations were organised by Parent Advisory Council member Cheryl Maybuck. “We were up at the high school kitchen the night before to peel all the potatoes and do the turkey preparation.

“And Quality Bakery helped us out by cooking the turkeys in their ovens and making the gravy.

“Th ere were about 20 parents help-ing out. It’s been awesome, a real com-munity eff ort,” she said.

Th e parents received two standing ovations from pupils to thank them for their sterling eff orts.

Early turkey dinnerat Laird School

DISHING UP—(Left: front to back:) Grade 4 students Matty Helmer, age 9, and Samuel Guignard, age 9, along with teacher Maggie Milligen, received their Christmas turkey dinners from servers Jill Logan (back) and Nancy Nester (front), who are both members of the Parent Advisory Council.


BOXING DAY SALEOne Day Only!December 26th

12 - 4 pm7th Ave. Invermere 342-7171

OUR BIGGEST ONE DAY SALE OF THE YEAR!

OUR BIGGEST ONE DAY SALE OF THE YEAR!

1241 7th Ave. Invermere 342-9268

from

Welcome in the New Year atFairmont Hot Springs Resort

New Year’s Eve GalaJoin us in the Cedar Ballroom for a New Years partyyou won’t soon forget! Live entertainment, partyfavours and a glass of bubbly at midnight. Casualelegant dress; this party is for those 16 years and older.

*Advance tickets are required.$52.95 per person plus GST.Available at the Front Desk

For tickets250.345.6311

[email protected]

to the

Citizens, Services and Businessesof the Upper Columbia ValleyWishing you a warm, cheerful Holiday Season fi lled with love and joy. May you enjoy peace, happiness,

good health and good fortune throughout the coming year.

Irene, Anne, Shizu, Jean & Justin Futa

Season’s GreetingsSeason’s GreetingsCitizens, Services Businesses

Upper Columbia Valley

How to help yourgrieving friends

during the holidaysSubmitted byDonna Power and Beth NoelRCMP Victim ServicesFamily Resource Centre of Invermere

For most people, the holiday sea-son is time for celebrating and spend-ing time with family and friends. For those who have lost a loved one during the past year, the holidays can be an es-pecially diffi cult time.

Here are some ideas to help some-one you care about deal with their grief in the festive holiday time.

• Give a gift of memories. A scrap-book fi lled with photos of the departed loved one can be a treasured gift.

• Help your friend think about which holiday traditions they want to keep or change. Sometimes a change lessens the pain of the loss.

• Plan an outing to the grave site or memorial location. Bring holly, pine or any evergreen to decorate the site for the season.

• Volunteer at a food bank, the Christmas Bureau, or activities related to the season. Have your grieving friend go with you.

• Take your friend shopping for food, clothing and toys to give to a charity.

• Send a living plant or fresh fl ow-ers to your friend to let them know that you are thinking of them in this season. Grieving lasts for a very long time and in some ways, never ends. Such a gift will let your friend know that you have

not forgotten their loss.• Don’t be afraid to mention the

name of the departed loved one. It’s important that your friend know you will not forget their loved one who has died. Send your friend a note or make a phone call letting them know that your remember this may be a diffi cult time for them.

• Bring some of the season indoors. Your friend may not put up a tree or decorate their home. Bring them a small tree or evergreen arrangement to help warm their home with the season.

• You might want to attend a reli-gious service with your friend if this is their usual custom. Faith can be great solace in diffi cult times.

• Invite your friend over for a holi-day dinner with your family. If they are not comfortable leaving their home, bring the dinner to theirs.

Happy Holiday Season from Co-lumbia Valley RCMP Victim Services. We have been heartened and warmed by the generosity and kindness that neighbours and friends of the Colum-bia Valley have for each other in time of need.

May we be ever vigilant of the need of those around us during the holiday season and in all of the seasons. A few words of kindness, a helping hand, or company during a meal, can make all the diff erence to someone in need.

May we all have a wonderful holi-day season full of peace, blessings, and hope in the coming year.


SeasonsGreetings

for aMerry

Christmasand aHappyNew

Year!800.663.4979

fairmonthotsprings.com

Friday, December 21st & Saturday December 22nd

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Monday, December 31st

Funky Beats from DJ Lefty & GuestsMidnight Snacks • Open til 4:00 a.m.!

Monday, December 31st

Bud’s i s where i t ’ s a t ! • 342-2965

A Day in CourtTh e following people were found

guilty in Adult Criminal Court in Invermere on Tuesday, December 18th. Presiding was Judge Ron Webb.

• Basil Stevens was jailed for 14 days, which he will serve on consecutive weekends; and banned from driving for two years. Mr. Stevens was also given a one-year probation order.

He was caught driving while nearly three times over the legal alcohol lim-it, and registered 290 mg in a breath sample. Th e car he was driving on June 17th was seen swerving all over the road without headlights.

Mr. Stevens parked the car just after 1 a.m., and was accused of sleeping and drooling at the wheel.

He had an open can of beer between his legs and there was a strong smell of liquor in the vehicle.

Mr. Stevens pleaded guilty to both charges: driving without care or control of the vehicle while impaired, and driv-ing while over the legal limit of 80 mg.

• Clayton Liscombe pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to his girlfriend Deborah Hill in Agassiz, B.C. on February 23rd.

Mr. Liscombe assaulted Miss Hill, punched her in the head, gave her a black eye and caused her to lose con-sciousness.

Th e court heard this was the fi rst time Mr. Liscombe had assaulted Miss Hill, and she stood up in court to speak in his defence to say she was standing by him.

Mr. Liscombe also had a previous conviction for assault on a partner in 1999. He admitted he had an alcohol problem and told the court he has been sober since May. He publicly apologized to Miss Hill and said he didn’t want to drink any more.

Judge Ron Webb said despite Miss Hill’s tolerance and patience, this type of behaviour should not be taken light-ly. He sentenced Mr. Liscombe to 18 days in jail, which he will serve on con-secutive weekends.

He also gave Mr Liscombe an 18-month probation order to keep the peace and abstain from alcohol, and to have no contact with Miss Hill if he had been drinking.

. . . Continued on Page 40


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PLAYING THEIR PART—Local musicians Fraser Smith, Mike Smith and Bruce Childs, regular performers at Angus McToogle’s Restaurant & Pub, belt it out during the Lakeside Pub’s Food Bank Benefi t Concert last Sunday.

Lakeside Pub concertraises $2,000 for food bankBy Rachel PinderPioneer Staff

It was a packed house on Sunday night at the Lakeside Pub, as the cream of local talent sang and played their hearts out in a fundraising eff ort to raise a staggering $2,175 for the Food Bank.

Th is seventh annual event kicked off at 6 p.m. and people quickly fi lled the seats as they sat back to enjoy a meal and a night of great entertainment.

Compere Bill Cropper kept every-one involved, and encouraged folks to make a cash donation, although many had already brought non-perishable food items.

Among the musicians performing were John Cronin, Mike and Fraser Smith, Pat Hess, Franz Grasegger, Gord Askey, Bruce Childs, Bill Cropper, Sta-cey DeCosse, Bud DeCosse, Paul Car-riere, Deb Ede and Kurt Reichel.

Bruce Childs played a toe-tapping set alongside father-and-son team Mike and Fraser Smith.

Bruce said it was great that every-one got together to do something for the Food Bank. Anya Milligan, 13, and her sister Katie, 14, two talented girls he taught at J. A. Laird School, did an awesome job in captivating the crowd with their magical singing. Th ey sang a song Bruce composed, I Never Knew Th at Magic Could Be Real.

“When the girls were singing, ev-

eryone on the stage was crying, and some people in the audience were too. I’d practised with them that afternoon but even I wasn’t ready for how amazing they sounded.

“It was an awesome night and I’ve played every year except one when I was away. It’s pretty much a tradition amongst local musicians and I’m so glad we raised so much money for the Food Bank,” Bruce said.

Accordian player Franz Grasegger played a fantastic set with Pat Hess, and said it was his fi rst time playing for the Lakeside’s Food Bank fundraiser.

“I’ve been coming here for fi ve years but it’s the fi rst time I’ve actually played. I’ve had lots of fun and I’m really keen to do it again next year,” Franz said.

Franz also sang Silent Night in Ger-man with Barbara Konig, co-owner of Konig Meat and Sausage Company.

Barbara said Franz called her at 5 p.m. that day to ask her to sing.

“It was a fi rst for me, but I really en-joyed it and it was great to see so many local musicians there,” she said.

Th e Food Bank benefi t concert was started years ago as a way of doing some-thing for the community at Christmas.

Lakeside pub owner Guido Hoch-heiden said he was delighted the event had raised so much money for the Food Bank, which was up on last year’s total.

“I’m really pleased with how it went. It was pretty much a full house and ev-eryone had a fantastic time,” he said.


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Th e annual Silent Auction held at the Invermere Public Library has been hailed a huge success, after raising more than $2,600.

Th e Silent Auction ran from No-vember 24th until December 15th. Th e auction kicked off in conjunction with annual Christmas Bake Sale which is held at the library every year.

Th e Friends of the Library support library activities by helping to fund var-ious library projects. Th rough creative fundraising and partnering with the community, they focus public attention on the library’s needs and receive gifts donated on the library’s behalf.

Th e auction has been running for about four years, and each year contin-ues to improve through generous dona-tions and participation from the com-munity.

A total of 84 items was donated, ranging from jewellery, clothing, pot-tery and paintings to smaller items such as homemade mincemeat, books and candles.

Th e most paid for an item was $400 for a painting by Wilmer resident Se-

bastien Bell called “Fall.” Two golf pass-es were donated by Th e Springs Golf Course, which went for $200; and four golf passes by Windermere Valley Golf Course brought in another $200.

Friends of the Library secretary Sh-eryl Th omas organized this year’s auc-tion for the fi rst time, taking over from board member Mike Bradford.

“Th e auction closed at noon on De-cember 15th and when we opened the library at 10 a.m. we had eight people waiting on the steps to make sure they had the highest bid in place.

“I’m really pleased with how it went. It was lots of fun and it’s a real com-munity event which gets lots of people involved.

“I’d really like to thank all the peo-ple and businesses who donated prizes because none of this would be possible without their generous help.

“And all $2600 we raised will go back to the library so it’s great that it stays right here in the community.

“We have passed on the money to library manager Liz Robinson who will use it at her discretion to buy books and tapes for the library’s collection, so that’s great news for everyone in the valley who uses the library,” Sheryl said.

HITTING THE RIGHT NOTES—(Left to right:) Pat Hess and Franz Grasegger, both sales consultants at Fairmont Resort Properties, did their bit for the Lakeside Food Bank fundraising event on Sunday. Th e pair have been performing together for many years, and are well known in the valley.

Library Silent Auctionraffl ed 84 items


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One hundred and twenty-fi ve seniors turned out for this year’s annual Christmas dinner organized by Invermere’s Rotary Club and the Best Western Inn.

Th is was the 18th year Best Western Invermere Inn owners Bryce and Margaret Mitchell hosted the annual event, which was hailed a great success.

“When we took over the hotel we were told this event was held every Christmas, and we love having the seniors here. It had been going for a few years be-fore we arrived, and I believe this is the 23rd time it’s been held,” Mr. Mitchell said.

Entertainment was provided by husband and wife team Glenys Snow-Dymond and Joseph Lehman of Radium. A selection of music including Christmas songs and original compositions written by Joseph

were played on a hammer dulcimer, which Glenys ex-plained is the predecessor of the piano.

Rotary president Yvonne Redeker said it was a wonderful evening.

“Th is is one of the most delightful and reward-ing events we put on. It’s a pleasure to give something back to the seniors who have given all their lives.

“Th e hotel staff here have been fantastic, and their contribution, including all the food, is huge. We’re now at the point where more seniors request a spot than we are able to seat,” said.

Stan Rokosh and his table of six enjoyed soaking up the festive atmosphere.

“We had a lovely time. I used to get up and tell a few yarns but I’ve run out of jokes,” he said.

Lila Fodchuk, who was also at Stan’s table, said it was her second time at the annual event. “We really appreciate the Rotary Club for doing this for the se-niors. It has been a fantastic night,” she said.

GETTING FESTIVE—Left to right, Lila Fodchuk, Nestor Fodchuk and Barb Kester, Stan Rokosh, Bernice Stone and Dot Forster enjoy their annual Seniors’ Christmas dinner at the Best Western Invermere Inn on Friday.

Rotary Club serves 125 seniors


Mike returns to Africa to start his own charityBy Mike BakerInvermere

Last year I spent three months, from November 2006 to January 2007, volunteering in Malawi, Africa.

My experience in Africa was unfor-gettable. I was quick to embrace the cul-ture in which busy, stressful schedules do not exist and kindness to friends and family are top priorities.

Unfortunately, I also witnessed the extreme poverty and disease in Mala-wi. As a volunteer, I assisted at a clinic where I helped feed a severely malnour-ished three-year-old boy who weighed-fi ve kilograms (12 pounds).

During my visits to the hospital, I saw children with malaria lying on beds next to adults with tuberculosis who were beside people dying of AIDS.

In Malawi, approximately one in three people are infected with HIV. Th e eff ects of HIV/AIDS are made worse by the poor diets, impoverished living and the unfortunate stigma associated with the disease.

During my stay I also worked close-ly with an HIV/AIDS support group

to establish a vegetable garden. Th e goal was to provide the members with a renewable source of immune boost-ing vegetables in order to keep them as healthy as possible.

Before I left Malawi to begin my travelling, I hosted a dinner for the group in which all the meals were pre-pared from the vegetables that would soon be harvested from the garden.

I taught the group how to make healthy dishes such as salsa, guacamole, and salad.

On January 17, 2008, I will be re-turning to the town of Chintheche, Malawi for three weeks of volunteering. Funds permitting, I hope to set up an-other project for the same HIV/AIDS victims’ support group I assisted previ-ously.

Th e group would like to start an in-come generating project in which chick-ens will be raised and sold for meat.

Th e majority of the group members are unable to work due to multiple rea-sons such as physical weakness caused by the disease itself or the side-eff ects of the anti-retroviral medication.

Stigma associated with HIV/AIDS

may result in victims being fi red by their employers or rejected by family members.

Without an income or family sup-port, medicine and food cannot be pur-chased during times of need.

Funds raised for the project will be used to purchase chicks and all equip-ment (shelter, charcoal heaters, etc.) necessary to start the chicken business.

Once started, the group will have complete ownership of the business and will be responsible for its sustainability.

When completed and fully opera-tional, the group will see a profi t of ap-proximately $2-3 Canadian per chick-en.

Th e profi t earned will be put into a group bank account. Th e savings may be used to buy food and medicine in times of need and fund other projects for the group.

For $5 one chick can be purchased for this group. Th e cost covers immuni-zations, feed, vitamins, and shelter for each chick.

Th e ultimate goal is to raise enough money to purchase 300 chicks.

A contribution towards this project

will not only provide the group mem-bers with a small income with which to buy food and medicine, but also em-powerment and hope for the future.

Individuals or groups interested in donating money to this project can con-tact me at 688-0165 or (250) 342-3651 (evenings).

Th ank you for your consideration!

Mike Baker


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Happy New Year!Dano, Julie, Jayme and Zac Saunders

By Jim AbbottMember of ParliamentKootenay-Columbia

Canada is a deeply re-ligious country but those who make and shape its politics and culture not only refuse to acknowl-edge this but, in many cases genuinely have no idea that it is true.

So-called opinion leaders promote a “secu-lar fundamentalist ap-proach” that attempts to eliminate faith-based opinion from public comments, unless of course the particular opinion is judged to be politically accommodating.

For example, if a church expresses profound reser-vations about Th ird World debt and the war in Iraq, it is welcomed as a pure voice of moderation and bal-ance.

However, if the church rejects euthanasia it is told by the same people to keep quiet because of the neces-

sity to separate church and state.While it’s important to practise separation be-

tween church and state, we must remember that this separation exists not to silence the views of religious people, but to instead protect religious followers and institutions from the oppressive powers of the state.

Canadian society must be a place where individu-al Canadians are free to express their most closely held personal beliefs; otherwise they are being coerced by prejudice within the arena of public comment.

Th e last acceptable prejudice in polite North American society is a display of uneasiness toward Christians – unless they’ve eliminated Christ from their vocabulary.

But, things are changing!It has been interesting to note that WalMart stores

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Because Canadians, just like you and I, have spo-ken up! We have assured them that as for us, our win-ter holiday season includes CHRISTmas.

Th ere is no ideal Christmas; only the one Christ-mas you decide to make as a refl ection of your values, desires, aff ections, and traditions.

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Chiron Verge, age 7, and his fi ve-year-old brother Gabriel Verge clutch the green teddies that Santa Claus gave them at the Invermere Fire-fi ghters Christmas potluck dinner on Tuesday. Th e spe-cial event is held every year for all the fi refi ghters’ chil-dren and families at the Invermere Fire Hall.

Photo byRachel Pinder


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Hockey tournament raises funds for Africa

Submitted by Spela GrasicDavid Th ompson Secondary School

A group of David Th ompson Sec-ondary students will host a “Build a School” Hockey Tournament on Windermere Lake at Kinsmen Beach on February 16, 2008.

Th is event will raise the money needed to build a school in Sierra Le-one (one of the world’s most diffi cult places to live) through the Adopt a Vil-lage campaign of Free the Children, the largest network of children helping children through education.

Th e hockey tournament is the fi rst event of many. Between now and June, the students plan to raise $10,500. Th is money will go into building a one-room school house, providing it with the nec-essary supplies and a teacher for one year. Th e goal of this campaign is not only to build a school but also to raise awareness of poverty, lack of education, child labour, and child soldiers.

After 11 years of civil war ended in 2002, Sierra Leone’s 5,866,000 resi-dents are working to rebuild their lives. Th e school will provide education for some of the 70 percent of the children presumed to be without formal educa-tion, as well as helping the child soldiers reclaim some of the education of their lost childhoods.

Th e hockey tournament will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If there is a weather issue, the event will be resched-uled to the following day. It is open to teams of all ages, genders, shapes and sizes. Teams are to be made up of three players and one goalie each (they may be mixed). Register your team by Feb-ruary 8th by calling (250) 341-1339. Th e cost for each team will be $60. You may also enter as an individual at a cost of $15 and we will put you on a team. Th ere will be prizes (eg. best costume) and free food for the participants.

For more, contact Spela 341-1339 or [email protected].


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By Cheryl BachinskiPioneer Columnist

It is hard to believe that 2007 is quickly drawing to a close. Th e year seemed to sneak by me so quickly.

While enjoying games at the rink this past week, I saw how much the kids have improved this year and are really starting to gel with their teammates.

It is exciting to see. A true result of the time and commitment from their coaches: the teachers behind the bench.

Our Midget girls rounded out 2007 playing their last league game of the year in Cochrane.

Th e girls came out fl ying in the fi rst, scoring three early goals, two from Hannah Macklin and one from Katie Milligen. Gracy Jones put one in the net during the third, to secure a 4 – 2 victory for Invermere.

Th e Midget girls end the year sit-ting in fi rst place in the Central Alber-ta League with a record of 10 wins, 2 losses.

Th e Bantam girls traveled to Olds to compete in the Female Bantam Tourna-ment. Th ey faced off against Lethbridge in game one, and jumped to a 3 -1 lead going in to the third.

Th ey struggled in the third, allow-ing Lethbridge to tie the game up, with

the game ending in a tie. Th eir second game was against a very strong team from Olds, and Invermere fell to a 7 – 2 defeat.

Th ey bounced back in their third game, which was their best game of the tournament.

With some strong defensive play by Lindsay Torma and unselfi sh team play by Mary Smith, the girls came away with a decisive 5 – 1 victory. Th ey fi n-ished the tournament with a record of 1-1-1.

Our Pee Wee Avalanche team host-ed a league game against Golden, put-ting on a solid team eff ort performance and securing an awesome 16 – 4 win. Th e boys played well from the drop of the puck, and carried that work ethic through out the game.

Trystan Hart was on fi re, sinking a total of fi ve goals and two assists. Hat tricks all around for both Justin Byers and Blake Gillam, and single goals com-ing from Alexis Westergaard, Kellan Moore and Carson Tomalty.

Our Jake Persson played another incredible game, despite having had his fi ngers caught in a door earlier in the day, scoring twice and assisting on two others.

Jake’s Dad was quoted as saying “Maybe Jake should catch his fi ngers in the door more often.”

Jordan Bachinski was kept on his toes with a few breakaways, but man-aged to keep the scoring down to a minimum. Excellent work all around, a solid team performance.

Th e time-keepers for this game were Kelly Tomalty and Kim Westergaard, who seemed to need several reminders to start the clock and put the goals up on the board.

As they ignored the Avalanche coach, the ladies continued on with their visit, occasionally looking up and giving everyone the “thumbs up.” Th ank you Kelly and Kim, we know you were all over it!

Happy Holidays! See you next year for more hockey action.

Mom’s fi nal Hockey Moments for 2007


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Or visit us at … www.thepinewood.ca

Living in a condo in Radium has made life easier for us to pursue our interests

of traveling, golfi ng, skiing and hiking. When we want to go we just lock the door! Radium has a lot to offer because of its location and of course the national park hiking trails and hot springs are within walking distance. The library right across the street from The Pinewood has a great selection of books and all the latest best sellers to read in your leisure time. Condo living is worry free as far a outside maintenance is concerned. The inside has all the features that make everyday living in a condo a delight. We have also met many neighbours in the condo who

have become friends. We have lived in two condo developments by

Instautor Group and couldn’t be happier in our choice to live full-time here!

Rob & Karen Bedford Full-time residents

in Radium

Full Ownership Condos • 1,200 sq. ft. for only

$257,900 Inc NET GSTHeated Underground Parking, Insuite Laundry, Storage Locker, Gas Fireplace.

Full Ownership Condos • 1,200 sq. ft. for only

$257,900 Inc NET GSTHeated Underground Parking, Insuite Laundry, Storage Locker, Gas Fireplace.

Call us today at

250-347-6557for a personal tour of The Pinewood Show Suite and Development.

By Harold HazelaarPioneer Columnist

So it seems that our current OldTimers exec-utive has been sentenced to another two-year stint as no one from our ranks wanted to replace us. Dave Oaks, Brent Ra-ven and myself are elated with the obvious fact that everyone loves us! We are, however, giving offi cial notice that our retirement party is defi nitely set in stone for March 2010.

Over the past ten years of my OldTimers career, I have consistently been amazed at the people who show up each week without all of their hockey gear. Th en, they usually blame their kids for it not being in their hockey bag. How does that work? Or we get the lame, ”My wife must have been washing it” story. I doubt it! Anyway, I could rattle off a bunch of names of guys that this happens to—like Dave Tomalty, Greg Dubois or Rory Hromadnik—but I’d rather tell you about the best one yet: Rick Kubian shows up for his

game, gets dressed and then pulls out his skates, only to fi nd one of his and one of his wife’s fi gure skates! What is that all about and will we ever actually hear the truth?

Another career moment happened recently that is worth sharing with you. Joe Evanoff plays defense but somehow manages to fi nd himself on a breakaway from center ice. Gets to the blue line and trips over it! Obviously, big guys fall hard because he just lay there for what seemed like minutes while his team-mates struggled without him in their own end until they gained control of the puck and blasted it down the ice, only to fi nd Joe wide open by himself again at the blue line. Th is time he managed to not only stay on his feet, but also get the puck past Th e Incredible Bulk. No small feat for two large men!

I would like to take a moment to thank all of my readers for sticking with me throughout the year while I babble about golf or hockey. I trust you enjoy this column because you are still reading. I hope you have been able to smile a few times over the years over something I have written. If not, maybe you need to lighten up! Anyway, I hope you have a very joyous hol-iday season and keeping reading when the Old Zone returns early in the New Year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. And fi -

nally, just in case you care ... Dec.12 results: Petro-Can over Da’ Mudders, Warwick over Lake

Auto, Inside Edge over Hi Heat and Huckleberry’s over Valley Vision.

CVOHA League Standings

Team W L T Points

Warwick Wolves 10 2 0 20

Lake Auto Mustangs 8 4 1 17

Huckleberry Hawks 8 4 1 17

Radium Petro-Can Killer Tomatoes 7 5 1 15

Hi Heat Hustlers 6 4 2 14

Inside Edge Black Smoke 5 8 0 10

Valley Vision Vultures 4 7 1 9

Kicking Horse Coffee 3 8 1 7

Dale Christian Mudders 1 10 1 3

The Old Zone: current executive re-elected


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Th e staff of BMOinvites you to celebrate the retirement of

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after 35 years of distinguished service!Join us for light snacks and refreshments on

Friday, December 28th from 1 - 4 pm at

1241 - 7th Avenue, Invermere

Don’t Miss an Issue!

Read Th e Pioneer online:

www.columbiavalleypioneer.com

N E W S P A P E R


Two business women in Radium have put their heads together to create a one-stop decorating shop.

Deborah Fischer, who opened N’Deco Interiors last February, decided to team up with her neighbour Roberta Hall, who started her business Full View Cur-tains in April.

Deborah had already realized she had no idea her business would expand so quickly, so when the Ra-dium Plaza space next to N’Deco Interiors became va-cant, she was thrilled when Roberta Hall opened Full View Curtains right next door.

Roberta, who has been in the custom sewing and drapery business for the past 21 years, needed more space to show off her creations. Deborah and Roberta quickly realized it would be a great benefi t to the com-munity if they put their ideas together to create a one stop shop with all decorating needs under one roof.

Furniture to fi nishing, this includes furniture, lin-ens, blinds, drapes and all the small items that make a house a home. Th ey also carry a selection of giftware for those last minute shoppers.

Deborah works with clients helping them select furniture, while Roberta fi nishes it all off with blinds and drapes. Th ey will even visit clients in their home to give advice on colours and interior design ideas.

Th e pair say they work well together and always keep the client’s budget in mind.

“Having fun and meeting people are the best part of the job. We have been overwhelmed by the sup-port of the local people and of course the second home owners who have a place in the valley.

“And we have some exciting new ideas for the store which we’ll be revealing in the New Year,’ Debo-rah said.

So whether you’re decorating a room or an entire home, drop by the Radium Plaza and see what they have to off er. For more information, call 347-9009.

Roberta Hall, left, and Deborah Fischer.

Decoratorsjoin forcesin Radium


Have a golfer on your shopping list? Get your Christmas gifts here!

Up to 50% OFF all clothing, merchandise and equipment Golf clubs starting at $25.00

2008 Book of 10 Golf Passes on sale now for only $449.00 *Tax not included

Open Saturdays and Sundays in December 10.00am - 4.00pm

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort For more information: Call: 250.345.6311 [email protected]

Mountainside Pro ShopMountainside Pro Shop

• SALES • SERVICE • CHEMICALS • WATER MAINTENANCE VISITSCheck out our showroom

in the former Place Furniture location.

Phone: 250-342-3922www.dynastyspas.com

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Take advantage of the strong Canadian Dollar!

Merry Christmas from us and all the

best for 2008!

Merry Christmas from us and all the

best for 2008!

Factory Year-end Blowout ‘07 prices on ‘08 models until

December 21st. Spa baskets make great gifts.

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Make anyone’s holiday bright with a giftcertificate from Natural Springs Spa.

Gift baskets now available!Choose from a variety of sizes.

Warm Buddies make for agreat stocking stuffer.

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort5225 Fairmont Resort Road

Call for details: [email protected]


Residents at Columbia House got a chance to do their Christmas shopping last Th ursday without even stepping out of the front door.

It was all thanks to the many valley businesses and individuals who gener-ously donated their time by bringing their stores to them.

Th e 10th annual Shop at Home event for the residents and clients of the adult day program was a huge success.

It provided a chance for residents to have a little independence to shop for themselves, and browse through the many items for sale.

Th ere was a fantastic choice of shopping, including jewellery, books, clothing, toys, toiletries, confectionery, home baking, hats, gloves, candles and gift items, to name but a few.

Many stores and individuals took part including All Th ings Beautiful, Windermere Auxiliary, Kountry Kitch-en, Candyland, Invermere Companion Animal Network, Finn and Judy Hal-drup’s handicrafts and Pat Lynch’s Quil-lows from Invermere.

Th ere were also handcrafted items from Co Ho Elves, which was set up by Leo Marchand at Columbia House.

June Monfee-Smith travelled all the way from Jaff ray to set up her Avon stall, with lots of toiletries and gift items.

“I’ve been coming here every year for the past 10 years and I love to see

how happy the residents are to do their shopping. Everyone seems to really en-joy it,” she said.

Radium resident Doreen Persson, whose mum Margaret Kellough is a res-ident at Columbia House, only found out about the event that morning, but decided to rush back home and fi lled some boxes with her ceramics, so she could set up a stall.

Terry Pal, who owns Kountry Kitchen in Windermere, brought a mouth-watering range of sweets and cookies to sample, as well as a selection of her fruit jams.

“Th is is the third year I’ve done it, and I just think it’s really great for the residents as they get so much out of it,” she said.

Shelley Smith brought seven girls from David Th ompson Secondary School’s Youth Action Team to help out by wrapping presents the residents had bought.

Some of the pupils even delivered the presents to their rooms afterwards.

Laurie Lesmeister, activities and volunteer coordinator, said everyone had really enjoyed themselves.

“I’m really pleased with how it’s gone. Th e staff here have been a huge help, and everybody who brings items to sell doesn’t expect to make a lot of sales, they just do it out of the goodness of their hearts. And some of them, like All Th ings Beautiful, have been coming to our Shop at Home event from the very start which is fantastic,” she said.

Columbia House residentsdo their shopping

without leaving home


Specializing in ‘One of a Kind’ ART YOU WEARLocated in INVERMERE, BC

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for store hours Phone: (250) 342-5043 or 342-5347

www.deannagauthier.com

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www.deannagauthier.com

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Contact: Paul AubrechtInvermere (250) 342-0482Calgary (403) 874-0483

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• Manicures • Pedicures • Gel Nails

TOWINGCLUB

Loretto Keenan MCPA, CBTBC

chartered physiotherapist

Fairmont Sports Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic

For appointments callLoretto at 345-0094

5020 Mountain View PlaceFairmont, BC

Sewer/Drain CleaningSeptic Tank Pumping

Portable Toilet Rentals• Complete sewer/drain repair

• Reasonable rates - Seniors’ discount• Speedy service - 7 days a week

• A well-maintained septic system should be pumped every 3-5 years• Avoid costly repairs

Bruce Dehart 347-9803 or 342-5357

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Email: [email protected] • Toll Free: 1-866-342-3031

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w i n d o w f a s h i o n s

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Call Bill Cropper (250) 342 4406

Call NOW688-0213

1st Anniversary Specials• 3 rooms (500 sq. ft.) Reg. $145.00 Now $120.00

• Couch Reg. $89.00 Now $60.00

• Love Seat Reg. $69.00 Now $50.00

• Comfy Chair Reg. $49.00 Now $30.00

December & JanuarySee more online atwww.heavenbest.ca

+ GST

Specializing in Custom Drapery, Blinds, Shutters & FlooringResidential & Commercial Interiors

Brenda E. Werbisky, C.I.D., Interior Designer

For appointment call (403) 861-8782 [email protected]

Specializing in Custom Drapery, Blinds, Shutters & FlooringResidential & Commercial Interiors

Brenda E. Werbisky, C.I.D., Interior Designer

For appointment call (403) 861-8782 [email protected]

THE CENTER OF REAL ESTATE ACTION IN THE PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

READY MIX CONCRETEConcrete Pump • Sand & Gravel

Heavy Equipment Rentals • Crane Service

Proudly Serving the Valley for over 50 years

For competitive prices and prompt service call:342-3268 (plant) 342-6767 (offi ce)


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347-7734For all your interiordecorating needs.

SCRUBSExecutive Housekeeping Service

Professional Service Now Taking New Clients

Call today for your FREE Cleaning ConsultationReferences Available

Elin (250) 342-0050 or John (250) 342-5832email: [email protected]

30 minute circuit training for women only.

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Women’sPACEVerna Jones • pacegal@ telus.net • Tel: 342-6010

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where it’s cool to be a loser!The only place

Automotive Repairs7 days a week

GAS • PROPANE • DIESEL

7507 Main St. West, Radium Hot Springs(250) 347-9726

RADIUM HOT SPRINGS ESSO

Freight & Passenger Depot

Valley Wide

Pine Ridge CuttersLawn and Yard Maintenance

Sunrise To Sunset Service

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a reliable contact person for your BC home?

• Home and property inspections• Irrigation system start-up and blow-out,

head replacement and timing• Snow plowing driveway and walkways• Mowing, pruning, planting, weeding and mulching• Hauling.

(250) 341-1012

Complete Automotive Repairs

Phone: 342-6614 • www.autowyze.com

(Beside the Petro Canada Car Wash)

385 Laurier Street, Invermere, BCPO Box 117, Windermere, BC V0B 2L0email: [email protected]

• POOLS

• HOT TUBS

• CHEMICALS

• FIREPLACES

• BBQ S

• HEATING

• VENTILATION

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• RESIDENTIAL

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Phone: (250) 342-7100Fax: (250) 342-7103

www.diamondheatingandspas.com

Columbia Decorative Concrete• Acid Staining •

• Stamping •Exposed • Eric J. Friesen 342-1775

Structural Integration Deep Tissue BodyworkMovement Education – Dialogue

H E L L E R W O RKJean-Luc Cortat

Certifi ed Hellerwork Practioner

Renaissance Wellness CentreBox 185 / 505 – 7th Avenue,

Invermere, BC V0A 1K0 • 342-2535

Structural Integration Deep Tissue BodyworkMovement Education – Dialogue

H E L L E R W O RKJean-Luc Cortat

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Renaissance Wellness CentreBox 185 / 505 – 7th Avenue,

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Your search for quality and dependability ends with us.

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning SpecialistsTruck Mounted System • Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed

Dean HubmanCertifi ed Technician

342-3052

RR3, 4874 Ridge Cres.Invermere, BC

V0A 1K3

Invermere Dry Cleaners Ltd.

Dry Cleaning • Laundry • AlterationsRepair • Bachelor Service

Phone: 342-6610 • 507A - 7th Ave., Invermere

LAMBERT-KIPPPHARMACY LTD.

J. Douglas Kipp, B. Sc. (Pharm.)Laura Kipp, Pharm D.

Your Compounding PharmacyCome in and browse our giftware

Open Monday - Saturday9:00 am - 6:00 pm

1301 - 7th Avenue, Invermere

342-6612

O B J E C T I V E , C R E A T I V E ,

I N F O R M A T I V E !O B J E C T I V E , C R E A T I V E ,

I N F O R M A T I V E !

N E W S P A P E R

Read us online at:

www.columbiavalleypioneer.com E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: (250) 341-6299

Read us online at:

www.columbiavalleypioneer.com E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: (250) 341-6299


HERE TO SERVE YOU

INVERMERE GLASS LTD.•Auto • Home

• Commercial • Mirrors • Shower Doors

• 27 years glass experience

Telephone: 342-3659Serving the Valley for over 11 years • #3, 109 Industrial Road #2, Invermere

Jeff Watson

Hi - Heat

WINDERMERE 342-6805

SHOLINDER & MACKAYEXCAVATING Inc.

Septic Systems Installed ~ Pumped ~ RepairedPrefab Cement Tanks Installed

Water Lines Dug InstalledBasements Dug

COLUMBIA VALLEYTAXI

Serving Golden to Cranbrook, Banff and Lake Louise

Hours: Sunday, 12 noon – 10 p.m.

Monday – Wednesday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.Thursday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 a.m.

Saturday, 8 a.m. – 4 a.m.

250-342-5262INVERMEREPhone: (250) 342-9866Fax: (250) 342-9869www.avionconstruction.com

HEAD OFFICEPhone: (403) 287-0144

Fax: (403) 287-2193#200, 6125 - 11 Street S.E.

Calgary, AB T2H 2L6

AvionConstruction Ltd.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS - GENERAL CONTRACTORSDESIGN/BUILD CUSTOM HOMES • MULTI-FAMILY & COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

Vivid ContractingInvermere, BC

Construction Clean-up • General Labour

Kim Baker

• Cell: 688-8355 • Work 342-0637 • Email [email protected]

• Topsoil • Sand • GravelVJ (Butch) BishopOwner/Operator4846 Holland Creek Ridge Rd.Invermere, BC V0A 1K0

Bus: (250) 342-6336Fax: (250) 342-3578Email: [email protected]: www.is-r.ca403 - 7th AvenueInvermere, BC

Bob Mashford, PresidentPhone: (250) 341-7188 or (403) 923-2427

Fax: (403) 720-5789

[email protected]

Pick up new phone booksat Chamber,The Source

Dear Friends:

On behalf of the Executive and Board of Directors, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your staff and your families the very best of the Holiday Season.

Our offi ce will be closed to the public from De-cember 24th to January 6th inclusive. Th e email will be checked regularly throughout the holidays, so if you have a matter that requires our attention, please feel free

to contact us at [email protected]. Please be advised that Telus Telephone Books for

Invermere businesses and residences can be picked up at Selkirk TV & Appliances (1229 - 7th Avenue, Invermere) during our Christmas/New Years offi ce closure.

Th ank you for your continued support - we look forward to working with you in the New Year.

Heather Overy and Marie BirneyColumbia Valley Chamber of Commerce


there’s no place like home for the holidays! the natural home wishes you the best of the season.

come in, browse and experience our warm sense of home

492 arrow road invermere bc v0a 1k0 250 342 8668 1 877 342 8668 [email protected]

Happy Holidays

formerly panache furniture

INDERMEREALLEYWV

HIT A HOLE-IN-ONEwith these

Christmas SpecialsMen’s & Ladies Clothing

ShoesHats, Gloves, Bags & Balls

30% off

All clubs at clear-out prices!

Open ‘til Dec. 22nd

from 9 am - 5:30 pm

(250) 342-3004

30% off 25% off

Great Stocking Stuff ers!

A third newsletter is being circu-lated to property owners in the Lake Windermere area providing an update on the status of the Lake Windermere Area Offi cial Community Plan.

Th e initial draft of the plan has been completed and the next step in the planning process, which began in Janu-ary of this year, is the presentation of the draft to the public.

Th e intent of the planning process, estimated to take about 18 months in total, is to develop a long-term strategic planning document that establishes a collective vision for land use preserva-tion and change. Th e plan will contain a policy framework and guidelines to provide direction to land use decision-making by the regional district board of directors.

“Residents and property owners in the Windermere area are encouraged to attend one of the open houses,” says

Electoral Area F Director Lillian Rose. “Th ey are designed to provide informa-tion and will give residents an oppor-tunity to review and comment on the policy directions contained within the OCP,” adds Ms. Rose.

Five participatory workshops were held between May and July and were at-tended by about 175 residents.

Two open houses will be held at the Windermere Community Hall on Monday, January 21st and Th ursday, January 24th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Copies of the draft plan and comment forms will be available for pick-up at the open houses.

Th e draft plan will also be posted on the Regional District of East Kootenay website starting January 21, 2008 for those individuals who are not able to attend either of the open houses.

For more information, visit the RDEK website at www.rdek.bc.ca.

Lake Windermere residentsinvited to formulate plan


TID BITS:• Holiday Schedule for GARBAGE COLLECTION Please be advised that regularly scheduled garbage collection, within the District of Invermere, for Tuesday, December 25th, 2007 has

been rescheduled to Thursday, December 27th, 2007 and garbage collection for Tuesday, January 1st, 2008 has been rescheduled to Thursday, January 3rd, 2008.

• Cancellation of December 25th, 2007 Regular Meeting of Council The regularly scheduled Meeting of Council for Tuesday, December 25th, 2007 has been cancelled.

• Holiday Schedule for Municipal Offi ce The Municipal Offi ce will be closed for the Holidays from Monday, December 24th to Friday, December 28th, 2007 and Tuesday, January

1st, 2008. The offi ce will be open on Monday, December 31st, 2007

• 2008 Regular Meeting of Council Schedule The District of Invermere Council meets regularly throughout the year on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the

Council Chambers of the Municipal Offi ce (914 – 8th Avenue, Invermere). January 8th & 23rd February 12th & 26th March 11th & 25th April 8th & 22nd May 13th & 27th June 10th & 24th July 8th & 22nd August 12th & 26th September 9th & 23rd October 14th & 28th November 12th & 25th December 9th & 23rd

SNOW REMOVAL District of Invermere bylaw number 306 “Regulation of traffi c within the Village of Invermere” which states in Article VII 9:

“It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any accumulation of snow or ice to remain upon any cement sidewalk in front or abutting any premises owned or occupied by him after noon in any day except Sunday in the village as described by by-law from time to time in that behalf passed by the Council of the Village”.

Here’s how you can help... • Be a good neighbour. Clear snow and ice from sidewalks as soon as possible after a snowfall to ensure that they are safe for all

residents. Lend a hand to those who may not be physically able to shovel. • Do not park on the street during a snowstorm of while snow clearing operations are underway. Parked cars make plowing diffi cult,

and sometimes impossible. With your help, winter maintenance crews can plow snow faster and more effi ciently and you will reduce the chances of having to dig your car out of a snow drift.

• Pleasxe make sure that your car is parked within your driveway. Please do not let it extend onto the street or sidewalk. • Keep children safe - don’t let them play in snow piles, or build snow forts in the snow banks at the side of the road. • Snow plows have no place to push the snow except to the curb or shoulder of the road. Sometimes this happens just after you have

fi nished shovelling. We appreciate this can be frustrating; however we ask your cooperation in clearing this snow without placing it on the roadway. If you hire a private contractor to clear your driveway, make sure the contractor does not push snow into the travelled portion of the roadway, or fi ll in sidewalks.

• Pile snow on the right side of your driveway (when facing the road) if possible when shoveling. This helps reduce the amount of snow created by the snowplow at the end of your driveway.

• Remove snow from around fi re hydrants on or near your property to enable quick access by emergency personnel if the need arises. • Do not place your garbage cans on top of snow banks. If possible place them on your driveway near the edge of the road.

The District thanks you for your co-operation!

DECEMBER COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS:Housing Needs Assessment The Housing Needs Assessment was formally adopted at the December 11th, 2007 Council Meeting.

Financial Plan Council has adopted the 2008 – 2012 Financial Plan copies can picked up at the municipal offi ce or on our website at www.invermere.net

Broadband Council put forward a motion to reconsider contributing toward the “backbone” for broadband services to Invermere. Staff has been tasked with reviewing options and costs to bring services to businesses and residents of Invermere.

Grizzly Ridge Properties Ltd. – Boundary Expansion Grizzly Ridge Properties Ltd. has put forth a proposal for boundary expansion to become part of the District. Council has agreed to initiate the Boundary Extension Process and continue with further discussions with the property owner to review the application and parkland dedication.

Library Board Appointment Congratulations to Jill Unger who will be the District’s representative on the Invermere Library Board for the next two years.

LOOKING FOR A GREAT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY?

Invermere Council is looking for citizens with a history of community involvement and a desire to participate within the community develop-ment process. Ten excellent opportunities are available to serve your community for up to a three year term, to run concurrent with the Council term.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED: Be part of the Advisory Planning Committee that will advise Council on matters referred to it by Council regarding land use, community plan-ning or proposed bylaws and permits, and to advise on other general policy matters respecting land use in the District. Or …The Advisory Design Panel that will review development permit applications for new development or redevelopment submitted under the Offi cial Community Plan for the District.

HOW TO APPLY: Citizens interested in participating on either of these Committees are invited to obtain an application form from the municipal offi ce and forward the completed application form to:

Colleen Goodey, Corporate Offi cer , District of Invermere PO Box 339 , 914 8th Avenue Invermere, BC V0A 1K0 [email protected]

The deadline for the submission of all applications to the municipal offi ce is January 15th, 2008. Application forms are also avail-able on the District of Invermere website at www.invermere.net

NOTICE OF OFFICE CLOSURE The Municipal Offi ce will be closed for the Holidays from Monday, December 24th to Friday, December 28th, 2007 and Tuesday, January 1st, 2008. The offi ce will be open on Monday, December 31st, 2007

Public InformationPublic Information914 – 8th Avenue, PO Box 339, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0

Ph: 250-342-9281 • Fax: 250-342-2934 • E-mail: [email protected]

Continued from Page 23

• Joshua McLelland was fi ned $500 plus a $75 victim surcharge after he pleaded guilty to driving on a highway at Canal Flats on June 4th while dis-qualifi ed from driving.

He was also charged with driving while prohib-ited and failing to appear in court.

• Adam Downing was fi ned $600 with a $90 victim surcharge for driving in Windermere with-out care or control of the vehicle while impaired,

driving while over the legal limit of 80 mg, and re-fusing to provide a sample. His breath registered at 200 mg in a sample.

• Jessie Coy pleaded guilty to assault caus-ing bodily harm. Th e court heard he punched and kicked his victim, who suff ered concussion, a bruised forehead and soreness to the neck.

Mr. Coy has worked as a bouncer and does not have a record for violence. He is now an apprentice carpenter with a four-year-old son.

Buff y Blakley, defending Mr. Coy, said he real-

ized he should not have got involved in a fi ght at Copper City Saloon bar in Invermere on February 25th this year.

He is very sorry that it happened, and it was out of character.

Judge Ron Webb said he had taken Mr. Coy’s early guilty plea into account, but sentenced him to a $1,000 fi ne. He was also given a six-month probation order which includes having no contact with the assault victim.

“I think it’s time for our community to accept that gratuitous violence should stop before some-one gets killed.

“Th ere’s been too much violence and it’s gone on long enough,” he said.

A Day in Court


PIONEER ON THE ROAD

Top left: Rob and Kar-en Bedford of Radium in Hamilton, Bermuda; cen-tre left: Kemp Hastewell of Invermere in Austra-lia; bottom left: Crisanna MacLeod of Windermere kayaking in Shediac, New Brunswick.

Top right: Kathy Sutherland in Antigua. Bottom right: the Kloos family in Maui—Steve and Maria and their grand-daughter Sarah Kloos. Grandson Blair Kloos is in the front page hockey photo dating back to 2005.

Th e 2007 Travel Photo contest was a great success. Th e remaining photos will be published in next week’s issue, and the winner an-nounced as soon as we make the draw and track him or her down for a photo.


ANNOUNCEMENTS

Have A Real Tree Christmas!

A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS SERVICE

will be held in Brisco Community Church ( across from the General Store) at 7:00 pm. On December 23, 2007. Offi ciating the service will be Pastor Wayne Frater from Radium Christian Fellowship.

ARE YOU FEELING STRESSED OR WEARY

and just need some one to talk to or want us to pray for you? Stop in at Radium Christian Fellowship’s New Prayer Center now open at #4–7443 Main Street West, (between the two totem poles) in Radium Hot Springs. We are open most Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10:30 am. – 2:30 pm. Phone 250-347-9937.

Edgewater Volunteer Fire Department

New Years Eve Dance$20 / Person

Monday, December 31st , 2007.

8:30 pm – 1:00 am.Edgewater Community Hall

Buff et Dinner and Prizes.Tickets available at Pips or call

347-6981.

Visitors please join Radium Christian

Fellowship 10:00 am. On Sunday December 23rd , 2007 as we gather together for a time of singing carols along with Pastor Wayne Frater sharing a Christmas message, at our new Prayer Center, #4-7553 main Street West, Radium Hot Springs. (Between the totem poles).

THANK YOU

Yes it was a surprise! I want to thank my old friends and my new friends, and especially my family for making my 80th birthday special. The cards and gifts were overwhelming. To Leanne and staff , thank you for letting us meet at “Meet on Higher Ground Coff ee”, and providing us with coff ee and tasty treats!My many thanks,

Micky Hess

NOTICE

To the lady whose dog was in a dog fi ght across from the Saan store on Nov. 28th . Please call 341-5996.

STORAGE

NEWHOUSEMULTI STORAGE

Various sizes available.Now with climatecontrolled units.

Call 342-3637

COMMERCIAL FOR LEASE

Offi ce or Storage2 units approx. 10’ x 12’

Each $125.00/month342-0603, 341-5845.

SHARED ACCOMMADATION

Jan. 1st $600.00, including utilities, internet, cable, W/D. Room in big, clean, shared house. Call 342-0420.

Roommate wanted to share house. Female, N/S, N/P, in Fairmont, 345-2155.

SUITE FOR RENT

CONTRACTORS: Self contained cabins by the week or month. (250) 345-6365 Fairmont Bungalows.

SUITE FOR RENT

Monthly or weekly units available for working couples or individuals with or without kitchens. Call Motel Bavaria in Radium, 347-9915.

2 bdrm apartment for mature couple. N/S, N/P, $725.00, downtown near hospital, 342-6912.

1 bdrm, 2bdrm & studio apartments available immediately in Radium. Contact Don or Susan Miller 342-6908 or 342-3709 (evenings). Kootenay Rentals.

CONDO FOR RENT

Canal Flats: Brand new condo in Jade Landing. Kitchen, nook, and living room, deck, 2 bdrms & bath upstairs, unfi nished basement. Fridge, stove, dishwasher, microwave. N/S, N/P, prefer mature individuals. Rent is $1000/month plus utilities and damage deposit of $1000. Call owner at 1-403-251-5996.

Condo for rent in Invermere. 2 bdrm, close to amenities, N/S, N/P, $900.00 plus utilities and DD, mature individuals, 342-6255.

HOUSE FOR RENT

Townhouse for rent in Black Forest Village. N/P, N/S. Available immediately. $1,150.00 plus utilities, 341-1400.

HOUSE FOR SALE

Mobile Home for Sale in Edgewater. Large lot, 2 decks, close to school, $265,000.00, 780-728-0121.

Edgewater house and garage on .75 acre corner lot. 4 bdrm, 2.5 bath, call 250-347-9321.

HOUSE FOR RENT

FOR RENT

Call Eric Redeker Rocky Mountain Realty • 342-5914

www.ericredeker.com

Luxurious living at the Riverside Golfcourse in Fairmont Hot Springs

3 bdrm., furnished, seasonal, no pets, no smoking: $1,800/month plus utilities.

Valley’s Edge Resort in EdgewaterOnly minutes from Radium Hot Springs, Seasonal Rental, Furnished, References

required, No pets, No smoking. $1,100/month plus utilities.

Black Forest Heights2 bedroom suite, unfurnished long term,

couple or single preferred, available January 1. $1,200 incl. heating

ACREAGE FOR SALE

Beautiful treed R1 lot in the new gated Estates at Copper Point. ½ acre with panoramic views of mountains and “the Ridge” golf course. Available May 2008. $275,000.00, 342-9841.

MISC. FOR SALE

Hay for sale, round bales. Phone Elkhorn Ranch 342-0617.

Support “Rockies” Hockey. Pine, Fir & Poplar – dry & split order 342-6908.

Used hot tub for sale $2,500.00. Call 341-7665 or 341-7727.

Top soil, call Elkhorn Ranch at 342-0617.

Have A Real Tree Christmas!

Cattle guard, heavy duty, 16’x 8’, $1,800.00, call Elkhorn Ranch at 342-0617.

MISC. FOR SALE

Round Table, 4 chairs and hutch, white and grey, call 345-6134.

4’x 8’ utility trailer with 4 foot sides, tilt and top cover, call 342-8848.

Offi ce furniture, desks, chairs, tables. Reasonable off ers accepted, call 342-1177.

All in great working order! Maytag white stove $150.00, Kenmore white dishwasher $125.00, Kenmore white microwave $75.00, almond refrigerator $75.00, Kenmore Elite stainless all-fridge I year old ($1,199.00 new) $650.00, stainless Kenmore microwave/convection oven 1 year old ($599.00 new) $250.00. Call Theresa 342-7324.

1 year old, gentle male guinea pig. New cage and all supplies included, $40.00. Call Erin 688-6108.

200 cm Morotto Nomex skate skis, never used, ($600 new) $250.00. 150 cm Swix skate poles $50.00, 342-1354.

MISC. FOR SALE

Burton snowboard 153 cm, K2 bindings $225.00. Avalanche board, bindings 133cm, $100.00. Volkl skis, bindings, boots, $150.00, 342-0554.

SNOWMOBILES FOR SALE

2005 Polaris RMK 800, brand new rebuilt motor, bumper to bumper warranty valid until February 24, 2008. Low mileage, all paperwork avail. $8,500.00 OBO, 342-1527.

2006 Summit X 151 track, electric start, cover, less than 800 miles. Asking $9,800.00, 250-347-2250.

2007 Yamaha Phazer Mtn. Lt. 600 km. $7,500.00 OBO. Call 342-8332.

VEHICLE FOR SALE

2000 Ford S250 4x4 crew cab, short box, Lariat diesel, new winter and summer tires. $12,000.00 in upgrades, excellent condition, $21,000.00 OBO, 341-2553.

PIONEER CLASSIFIEDSHOUSE FOR SALE

RockiesWest Realty

Ken Becker Sales Consultant230 Laurier Street

Invermere, BC V0A 1K3Bus: 250.342.5599 • Fax: 250.342.5559

4693 COLUMERE RD., FAIRMONT

A View to dream of! You will think you’re in Heaven as you take in the stunning views of the emerald green waters of Columbia Lake. The whole

family will love being a minute stroll to the beach, marina, park and tennis court. This 3 year cottage has the whole family enjoying the good life. Make it your life. MLS # NEW #08797

$699,000

NEW LISTING

$699,000

VEHICLE FOR SALE

2002 Jeep LibertyLimited Edition V6, fully loaded, 4x4, 85,000 kms$ 1 6 , 5 0 0

250-432-5211

$10,000,000in vehicle inventory.

Go to www. c r anb r ookdodge . c om

to view complete inventory.

SERVICES

TOTAL HEATING SYSTEMSHeat Pumps Furnaces

Duct work342-1167

Phil’s Carpentry – Everything from roofs to decks, completion of basement and bathrooms. Phone 341-8033 cell or 342-8474 home. Not on valley time.

PAINTING – Interior and Exterior (spring). Reliable, excellent service. Call Bill for an appointment, 342-7329.

Need a night/day off and don’t have a sitter?

Call Phoebe, 250-306-4953.

Experienced in working with all ages and capabilities.

CAREER WANTED

Project Construction Manager

20 years experienceSeeking Permanent

PositionWithin Invermere District

Available mid January250-341-7325

CAREERS

Dining room servers and kitchen help required. Competitive wages and benefi ts. Great benefi t package and work schedule. Call 489.0667.

CAREERS

Store Clerks needed. Must be enthusiastic and enjoy people. $13/hour, store discounts and advancement opportunities. Apply in person to Invermere Petro-Canada.

Residential Care Worker. Temporary, full time position. RCA or PCA or HSW or equivalent. Union membership, HEU. See posting, Mt. Nelson Place. Manager: Donna Jeff erson 342-3699.

Trims and Treasures Esthetics Studio

Is looking to expand its already amazing team of professionals! We are looking for an energetic, self motivated Stylist to start immediately. Health benefi ts available. Stop by and ask for France or email resume to [email protected]

CAREERS

Valley Hawk Security is seeking full-time and part-time security guards. Night/day shifts in Invermere and Panorama area. Call 250-688-4295 or email resume to [email protected].

Framers/Finishing Carpenters required in Edgewater. Permanent work, $20.00 - $30.00 per hour or piece work. Call Cliff , 403-617-9402 or email [email protected].

Full / part – time positions available at Horsethief Creek Pub / Radium Liquor Store. Apply in person, or by fax 347-9987, or email [email protected].


PIONEER CLASSIFIEDS

We supply part and service

FOR ALL MAKES of:• snowmobiles • motorcycles

• quads

VEHICLE FOR SALE

NATURAL SPRINGS SPAIs now accepting applications for the position of:

ESTHETICIANSSeasonal and Full-time positions available for qualifi ed candidates with a passion for client service excellence. Th e successful candidates will possess the relevant cer-tifi cation for facials, manicures and pedicures. Prefer-ence will be give to those with esthetics experience however newly-certifi ed applicants may apply. Our Estheticians will also have reception duties and must be able to multi-task in a busy environment. Applicants must have excellent written and communication skills. Professionalism and good grooming are a must. Various shifts and weekends would be required. Hiring both immediately, and for our spring season (April).

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Ltd. off ers a competitive sal-ary and benefi t package with access to all Resort amenities. Please visit our website for more information on the Resort’s facilities at: www.fairmonthotsprings.com

Interested applicants please send resume with references to the attention of:

David Sheedy – Human Resources ManagerFax: 250-345-6616 or Email: [email protected]

While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted personally.

is now accepting applicants for:

FIRST COOKS AND BREAKFAST COOKS

Positions are opening at our various Food and Bev-erage outlets at the Resort including Mountainside and Riverside. Year round employment is available.

We are a four season, 4.5 star Resort with FREE Golfi ng, Swimming, Skiing among other benefi ts for our staff . Staff accommodation is available.

Applicants interested in a fantastic Resort work opportunity where you will gain valuable experi-ence as well as enjoy our great recreational benefi ts, please forward your resume to:

Human ResourcesFax: 250-345-6616

Email: [email protected]

Grizzly Mountain Grillin Radium

Requires Experienced Cooks and Servers

Call 342-1666 Fax: 341-3453or send resume to:

PO Box 1079, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0

Employment Resources for the Valley1313 – 7th Ave • 250.341.6889 • [email protected]

Th e Government of Canada has contributed funding for this initiative.


December 21, 200744 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

NEW 2008 SESSIONSPilates (VFC) & Water Fitness (Radium)

Start week of January 7th

www.parrypilates.ca • [email protected](250) 342.5979 or Valley Fitness Centre (VFC) 342-2131

• private • semi-private • reformer • cadillac • stability chairs

World TotemsWorld TotemsUnique Aboriginal Philippine

Carvings & Gift Ideas

See us in time for Xmas at theInvermere Barber

(250) 341-3240

COMMUNITY COUNSELLING

SERVICESCounselling topics include:

Counselling Fees may apply

Family Resource Centre, 625 – 4th StreetInvermere, B.C. • 342-4242

• Marriage Counselling• Personal Growth• Grief Counselling• Historical Abuse

Issues for Men

• Anger Management• Life Transitions• Work Related

Concerns• Fertility Issues

Congratulations!We are so very proud to announce that 2007 was a

milestone year for Sean Roggeman. In June of this year Sean graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in

Business Operations from the DeVry Institute of Technology.

Immediately upon completion of his degree Sean immersed himself

into the world of Real Estate and successfully completed and

passed his BC Real Estate Exam. As a licensed Realtor, Sean will develop his career with Rocky Mountain Realty.

Outstanding eff ort Sean!Th ank you to all the

terrifi c educators in the valley who contributed to Sean’s achievements.

Paul, Judy and Kevin Roggeman

Congratulations!


RCMP urging snowmobilersto ride legally and safely

By Cpl. Brent AyersRCMP Columbia Valley Detachment

Every winter, the RCMP responds to complaints about a small group of snowmobile riders who are driving carelessly in and around public areas and/or riding in “out-of-bounds” wilderness areas.

For a few, riding under the infl uence of alcohol or drugs seems to go hand-and-hand with their recre-ational vehicle experiences. It is hoped that this yearly news release will assist in educating the residents of the Columbia Valley and vacationers who visit this area.

All snowmobiles in the Province of British Co-lumbia are required to be registered under the Motor Vehicle (All Terrain) Act. Th is has been a requirement since the early 1970’s. At the time of registration, the owner of the snowmobile must place the two yellow decals on either side of the tunnel. Th ese decals are not transferable from machine to machine.

A copy of the registration must be on the machine at all times. Failure to provide proof of registration or failure to provide the supporting documents are sepa-rate ticket-able off ences. If your snowmobile has never been registered before, or has been modifi ed with an aftermarket tunnel, or is from out-of-province, a man-datory check of your motor and chassis serial numbers are required for registration.

Any RCMP member is willing to attend in per-son, time permitting, to verify your serial numbers. If you have just recently purchased a new snowmo-bile, write down the serial numbers of your motor as it will be diff erent from the one on your chassis. If your snowmobile is stolen, the chances of fi nding it increases by 50 percent if you also provide the mo-tor serial number. Rotax of Austria supplies engines to Bombardier, Fuji supplies Polaris, and Suzuki pow-ers the Arctic Cat. Yamaha supplies its own engines; however, since the early 1990s the serial numbers are diff erent.

Registration is up to $15 for the life of the snow-mobile. Of course, the province also requires P.S.T. on all machines and this is a sore point for most snow-mobile owners.

All registered snowmobiles are allowed to utilize non-maintained Forest Service roads without I.C.B.C. insurance. Th e maximum speed on a non-maintained forest service roads for a snowmobile is 80 km/hr. Once a grader makes a swipe of the road it becomes maintained. If you wish to use the snowmobile on a public road, even just to cross, by law, you need to have your machine licensed and insured, just like a car. Th ird party liability insurance is available from your ICBC broker. Once insured, you need to obtain a permit from your local RCMP, which will outline where you can cross or utilize a road way.

For the most part, in the Columbia Valley, this might not be granted or feasible depending on the

community, traffi c volume, or lack of snow. In theory, ditch riding is prohibited as liability insurance is re-quired within 30 metres from the center of roadway. Insurance obtained through the B.C. Snowmobile Federation or obtained privately is liability insurance for off -road use only. Th e insurance is void once the operator drives on or crosses a public road.

For driving on a non-maintained forest service road, including public roads and crown land, the snowmobile must be in good mechanical condition with an operative headlight, rear light, and working brakes. Th ere is no enforceable helmet law while rid-ing on Crown Land, but your are only tempting fate if you decide not to wear one.

Th ose who wish to mix recreational riding with recreational drugs, including alcohol, be advised that the Criminal Code of Canada prohibits the impaired operation of any motor vehicle, including snowmo-biles, on any public road or public access area, in-cluding the mountains. Every year, this detachment responds to incidents involving snowmobiles where alcohol was a contributing factor to poor decision-making by the rider.

If a back country adventure is planned, plan ahead and be prepared. An avalanche beacon, probe, shovel, warm clothing, survival kit, fi rst aid kit, and basic tool kit should all be considered. Leave an itinerary with someone and don’t go alone. Th ese considerations will ensure a safe experience. Never rely on other snowmo-bilers to bale you out. Ride within your limits and ride with respect to the area in which you are riding.

Join your local snowmobile club. You will be amazed by the people and the wealth of experience that the club has to off er. Th e Windermere Valley Snowmobile Society is this area’s local organized club and have cabins available in a few back country areas.

If you ride, or have a family member who rides, please take the time to become informed. Th is de-tachment has two snowmobiles and all members are trained operators. Time permitting, enforcement pa-trols will be made in many of the snowmobiling areas. Snowmobile thefts have risen dramatically in Calgary and noticeably in the Columbia Valley as stolen sleds can be stripped and parted out for cash or sold to un-suspecting buyers. If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is. In my 17-plus years of experience, random checks of sleds either on the trail or being transported, curbs thefts within a community. All snowmobile op-erators are required by law to stop when directed by an enforcement offi cer, a designation which includes Police, with Auxiliary, Conservation, B.C. and Na-tional Parks Wardens.

Ultimately snowmobiling is a great way to enjoy the winter months and can be surprisingly aff ordable compared to other activities. We want you to have fun, safe fun! If you have any questions, speak with any member of this detachment including me.

December 21, 200744 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

NEW 2008 SESSIONSPilates (VFC) & Water Fitness (Radium)

Start week of January 7th

www.parrypilates.ca • [email protected](250) 342.5979 or Valley Fitness Centre (VFC) 342-2131

• private • semi-private • reformer • cadillac • stability chairs

World TotemsWorld TotemsUnique Aboriginal Philippine

Carvings & Gift Ideas

See us in time for Xmas at theInvermere Barber

(250) 341-3240

COMMUNITY COUNSELLING

SERVICESCounselling topics include:

Counselling Fees may apply

Family Resource Centre, 625 – 4th StreetInvermere, B.C. • 342-4242

• Marriage Counselling• Personal Growth• Grief Counselling• Historical Abuse

Issues for Men

• Anger Management• Life Transitions• Work Related

Concerns• Fertility Issues

Congratulations!We are so very proud to announce that 2007 was a

milestone year for Sean Roggeman. In June of this year Sean graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in

Business Operations from the DeVry Institute of Technology.

Immediately upon completion of his degree Sean immersed himself

into the world of Real Estate and successfully completed and

passed his BC Real Estate Exam. As a licensed Realtor, Sean will develop his career with Rocky Mountain Realty.

Outstanding eff ort Sean!Th ank you to all the

terrifi c educators in the valley who contributed to Sean’s achievements.

Paul, Judy and Kevin Roggeman

Congratulations!


RCMP urging snowmobilersto ride legally and safely

By Cpl. Brent AyersRCMP Columbia Valley Detachment

Every winter, the RCMP responds to complaints about a small group of snowmobile riders who are driving carelessly in and around public areas and/or riding in “out-of-bounds” wilderness areas.

For a few, riding under the infl uence of alcohol or drugs seems to go hand-and-hand with their recre-ational vehicle experiences. It is hoped that this yearly news release will assist in educating the residents of the Columbia Valley and vacationers who visit this area.

All snowmobiles in the Province of British Co-lumbia are required to be registered under the Motor Vehicle (All Terrain) Act. Th is has been a requirement since the early 1970’s. At the time of registration, the owner of the snowmobile must place the two yellow decals on either side of the tunnel. Th ese decals are not transferable from machine to machine.

A copy of the registration must be on the machine at all times. Failure to provide proof of registration or failure to provide the supporting documents are sepa-rate ticket-able off ences. If your snowmobile has never been registered before, or has been modifi ed with an aftermarket tunnel, or is from out-of-province, a man-datory check of your motor and chassis serial numbers are required for registration.

Any RCMP member is willing to attend in per-son, time permitting, to verify your serial numbers. If you have just recently purchased a new snowmo-bile, write down the serial numbers of your motor as it will be diff erent from the one on your chassis. If your snowmobile is stolen, the chances of fi nding it increases by 50 percent if you also provide the mo-tor serial number. Rotax of Austria supplies engines to Bombardier, Fuji supplies Polaris, and Suzuki pow-ers the Arctic Cat. Yamaha supplies its own engines; however, since the early 1990s the serial numbers are diff erent.

Registration is up to $15 for the life of the snow-mobile. Of course, the province also requires P.S.T. on all machines and this is a sore point for most snow-mobile owners.

All registered snowmobiles are allowed to utilize non-maintained Forest Service roads without I.C.B.C. insurance. Th e maximum speed on a non-maintained forest service roads for a snowmobile is 80 km/hr. Once a grader makes a swipe of the road it becomes maintained. If you wish to use the snowmobile on a public road, even just to cross, by law, you need to have your machine licensed and insured, just like a car. Th ird party liability insurance is available from your ICBC broker. Once insured, you need to obtain a permit from your local RCMP, which will outline where you can cross or utilize a road way.

For the most part, in the Columbia Valley, this might not be granted or feasible depending on the

community, traffi c volume, or lack of snow. In theory, ditch riding is prohibited as liability insurance is re-quired within 30 metres from the center of roadway. Insurance obtained through the B.C. Snowmobile Federation or obtained privately is liability insurance for off -road use only. Th e insurance is void once the operator drives on or crosses a public road.

For driving on a non-maintained forest service road, including public roads and crown land, the snowmobile must be in good mechanical condition with an operative headlight, rear light, and working brakes. Th ere is no enforceable helmet law while rid-ing on Crown Land, but your are only tempting fate if you decide not to wear one.

Th ose who wish to mix recreational riding with recreational drugs, including alcohol, be advised that the Criminal Code of Canada prohibits the impaired operation of any motor vehicle, including snowmo-biles, on any public road or public access area, in-cluding the mountains. Every year, this detachment responds to incidents involving snowmobiles where alcohol was a contributing factor to poor decision-making by the rider.

If a back country adventure is planned, plan ahead and be prepared. An avalanche beacon, probe, shovel, warm clothing, survival kit, fi rst aid kit, and basic tool kit should all be considered. Leave an itinerary with someone and don’t go alone. Th ese considerations will ensure a safe experience. Never rely on other snowmo-bilers to bale you out. Ride within your limits and ride with respect to the area in which you are riding.

Join your local snowmobile club. You will be amazed by the people and the wealth of experience that the club has to off er. Th e Windermere Valley Snowmobile Society is this area’s local organized club and have cabins available in a few back country areas.

If you ride, or have a family member who rides, please take the time to become informed. Th is de-tachment has two snowmobiles and all members are trained operators. Time permitting, enforcement pa-trols will be made in many of the snowmobiling areas. Snowmobile thefts have risen dramatically in Calgary and noticeably in the Columbia Valley as stolen sleds can be stripped and parted out for cash or sold to un-suspecting buyers. If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is. In my 17-plus years of experience, random checks of sleds either on the trail or being transported, curbs thefts within a community. All snowmobile op-erators are required by law to stop when directed by an enforcement offi cer, a designation which includes Police, with Auxiliary, Conservation, B.C. and Na-tional Parks Wardens.

Ultimately snowmobiling is a great way to enjoy the winter months and can be surprisingly aff ordable compared to other activities. We want you to have fun, safe fun! If you have any questions, speak with any member of this detachment including me.


IF YOU’RE LOCAL,YOU GET IT!The Columbia Valley Pioneer �

The new cost of breaking traffic laws will make these

really handy.

Bad driving habits will soon cost you more.

Starting January 1, ICBC introduces the Driver Risk Premium. It makes drivers with bad habits

pay more. For very bad habits — a lot more. The decisions you make, including whether or

not to speed, drive recklessly, or drink and drive, are all within your control. Whether you

pay more to drive is now up to you as well. For more information visit ICBC.com.

icbc.com

Local motorists must be pre-pared for poor weather and icy roads by slowing down, according to ICBC.

Slowing down is still one of the single most eff ective ways to save lives and prevent injuries when driving, ICBC says. Recent provincial statistics show that, on average, about 930 people were in-jured and 16 people were killed in incidents where speed and weath-er were contributing factors.

“In poor weather, your visibil-ity is limited and weather creates conditions where stopping and manoeuvring is more diffi cult,” says Dave Dickson, ICBC region-al loss prevention manager. “It can take up to 10 times longer to stop in icy conditions.”

Drivers are reminded to:• Outfi t your vehicle with a

full set of snow tires if you live in an area that regularly receives snow, or you’re required to drive in areas with winter conditions.

• Plan well in advance of a trip, by checking travel and weath-er conditions on TV, radio, and internet. Be realistic about travel times, especially in bad weather.

• Slow down and keep your distance, particularly while driv-ing in snow or on icy roadways.

• Do not use cruise control in wet or slippery conditions. An ac-tivated cruise control in wet con-ditions gives you less control of being able to stop your vehicle.

• In snow and ice conditions, if you begin to lose control, don’t slam on your brakes. Simply ease off on the accelerator, then gently apply brake pressure and steer in the direction you want to go.

• Make sure your tires have good tire tread and are infl ated correctly, including your spare tire. If you live in an area that regularly receives snow or are required to drive in areas with winter condi-tions, your vehicle should be out-fi tted with a set of winter tires.

To check road conditions and traveller’s tips, visit http://www.icbc.com/road_safety/travel.asp.

Drivesafely!


By Lisa M. Rohrick

Have you ever wondered what happens to those old eyeglasses you drop off in the cardboard collection box at the optometrist’s offi ce?

Let me tell you where some of them have ended up. My coworkers and I in Niger, West Africa, recently spent two weeks hosting six people from Calgary who were here to distribute eyeglasses. Th ey trained us to do simple eye examina-tions and fi t glasses, and off we went to some of my favourite villages to share the gift of sight.

In two of the villages we had the use of school buildings with cement walls on which to hang our eye charts. In anoth-er village, we “built” our own eye clinic, lining up three vehicles to which we tied tarpaulins to give us some shade from the relentless sun.

Patients sat on fold-ing chairs and pointed in the direction of the ‘tum-bling E’ on charts held to truck windows with duct tape. In yet another village, the people had put up a circle of woven grass walls under the shade of a cluster of trees. Th is shelter served as eye clinic by day and hotel by night.

My job was a fun one. I had people reading eye charts, then we played the game played by all people who need corrective lenses: “Which lens is better, A or B? And again, A or B?”

When I was satisfi ed that I’d found the best lens that I could, I then dug into two suitcases of do-nated eyeglasses to fi nd ones with a prescription that matched as closely as possible what I’d written on the patient’s chart.

Th e team brought with them about 1,100 pairs of glasses, most of them used (“previously-appreciated” would be a more politically-correct term, wouldn’t it?) Th e glasses are gathered from collection boxes around Canada and shipped to Calgary by the Lions Club.

Th ey are taken to a Calgary correctional facility where inmates take on the job of sterilizing them all, reading them with an instrument called a lensometer to determine the prescription, labelling them, and putting each pair in a small bag and sorting them ac-cording to prescription.

From there the glasses are delivered to the orga-nizations who distribute them. Th e batch we received came via Samaritan’s Purse (the same organization that does Operation Christmas Child, distributing gift shoeboxes to needy children around the world).

Th e highlight for me was putting a pair of glasses on an old man who’d had poor vision for years.

A huge smile crossed his face and he exclaimed over and over: “I can see! I can see!” It was a beautiful moment.

Another old man told me he’d had to give up sell-ing mats in the market because he could no longer see to count money. He was one of many folks we saw whose eyes were clouded with cataracts.

I knew our help would be limited, since we could do nothing about the cataracts. But we could off er glasses to improve what vision re-mained.

I was working with a young Fulani woman who happened to be walking in front of this man when I held diff er-ent lenses in front of his eyes. When I asked him which was better for him, he replied quickly, “Your friend is much prettier with these ones.”

So we left behind the “A or B?” question and had him look at her and tell me when she was most pretty. He laughed with joy when he could see her eyes. Th en I pulled out a handful of coins to see if he could distinguish between them. He leaned over my hand and with great concentration proceeded to correctly identify each coin.

While that man left our clinic with far from perfect vision, he thanked us over and over for his new glasses. He can now see to go back to selling mats in the mar-ket. We couldn’t help him as much as we would have liked to, but we made a diff erence in his life.

When we left that windswept and dusty village, the chief and elders (many of them sporting their new glasses!) gathered to thank us.

And they presented us with gifts of hand-carved stools and colourful, hand-woven mats, as well as two chickens and two guinea hens, which one of the local school teachers cooked for us for lunch (school was cancelled since we had taken over the classroom!)

Th ey thanked us again and again for coming and helping their village.

So, let me encourage you to dig out those old glasses from the back of your junk drawer and get them to a Lions Club drop box.

Th ey may be of no value to you, but they could make a dramatic diff erence in the life of someone who will never be able to aff ord new eyeglasses.

Lisa Rohrick, formerly of Invermere, works as a missionary in Niger, West Africa.

to all our customers from

Happy Holidays

1210 7th Ave Invermere 342-9661

DeadlineDec. 31, 2007

Lions Think Tank Project

Give the gift of sightwith your old glasses

Lisa Rohrick with a recipient of donated glasses.

HOLIDAY GREETINGSto our valued customersfrom Arnold, Donna and the staff from

Invermere (250) 342-6700

Great rates, products and servicewww.meridianmortgagesolutions.com

No more searching for the lowest mortgage rates…

Bill Rainbow Mortgage Broker(250) 342-3453

A happy healthy holiday from the staff at

Invermere Physiotherapy Clinic

1317 - 7th Ave. Invermere

342-0415

The Columbia Valley Pioneer •47December 21, 2007

LAKE WINDERMERE ALLIANCE CHURCH Sunday, Dec. 23rd, Fourth Sunday of Advent, 10:30 a.m.

Worship and Life Instruction: “Glorify God in His House and Your Heart” with Pastor Jared Enns ministering.

Sunday School, age 3 to Grade 7, during morning service.Monday, Dec. 24th: 2:30 p.m. service at the Summit, Panorama;

6 p.m. service at Lake Windermere Alliance Church;8 p.m. service at the Great Hall, Panorama.326 - 10th Avenue, Invermere • 342-9535

WINDERMERE VALLEY SHARED MINISTRYSunday, Dec. 23, 8:30 a.m. at All Saints, Edgewater

10:30 a.m. - Communion at Christ Church Trinity, InvermereMonday, Dec. 24th: 4 p.m. Family Christmas Service, Invermere

Monday, Dec. 24th: 8 p.m. Service at All Saints, EdgewaterMonday, Dec. 24th: 10 p.m. Service at St. Peter’s Church, WindermereMonday, Dec. 24th: 11:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Communion, Invermere

Rev. Sandy Ferguson • 110 - 7th Avenue, Invermere • 342-6644

VALLEY CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY10 a.m. Sunday: Children’s Church

during the message part of the service.Highway 93/95, 1 km north of Windermere • 342-9511

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHCanadian Martyrs Church, Invermere • Father Jim McHugh

Monday, Dec. 24th Mass • Invermere 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 24th Radium - Carols 11 p.m., Mass 11:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 25th: Invermere 9 a.m., Canal Flats 11 a.m.712 -12th Ave., Invermere • 342-6167

ST. PETER’S LUTHERAN MISSION OF INVERMEREWorship services every Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Christ Church Trinity 110 - 7th Ave., Invermere Pastor Rev. Fraser Coltman • 1-866-426-7564

RADIUM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIPEvery Sunday 10 a.m., Sunday School 10 a.m.

Pastor Wayne and Linda Frater • Radium Seniors’ Hall • 342-6633

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTERDAY SAINTSSunday Service, 10 a.m. • Sunday School, 11 a.m.

President Grant Watkins • Columbia Valley Branch5014 Fairway, Fairmont Hot Springs • 345-0079

Valley ChurchesFAITH

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1229-7th Ave., Invermere 342-6415

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Call 341-6151 or

1-888-341-6155rayfergusonrealty.ca

WE SELL REAL ESTATE• Radium • Invermere • Panorama• Windermere • Fairmont

WINDERMERE’S BEST VALUE

Warm, cozy & enjoyment ready. Large open lot on quiet cul-de-sac. Expansive windows frame the exceptional lake/mountain views.

$599,000MLS# K166790

By Jared EnnsLake WindermereAlliance Church

Christmas is nearly here. Lights have been strung. Trees have been decorated. Christmas parties and school pro-grams have added to the festivity of the season.

We all have our ritu-als when it comes to Christmas. Some people start cel-ebrating Christmas in July, and others wait for the last minute rush to get prepared.

Th ere are even those for whom Christmas season is a taxing time of year. “Bah, Humbug,” best expresses their desire to celebrate. No matter how you interact with Christmas, you cannot help but recognize that it is taking place.

By now, I am sure that many of you have a gift wrapped under the tree and, if not, you know that, by Christmas morning, there will be. Someone who knows you and cares about you has taken the time to track down a gift for you. You can tell it is yours because your name is on it.

We enjoy receiving gifts. We like being cared for, and made to feel special and loved. One aspect of gift giving that needs special recognition is the giver. Have you ever given a gift and as you watched someone open it, you were anticipating their surprise and joy. Th e giving was almost as exciting as the receiving.

Take a little journey with me to the perspective of the fi rst Giver of Gifts at Christmas. Try to picture the following story from His eyes.

It all started with . . . In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Th e virgin’s name was Mary. Th e angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! Th e Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and won-dered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus (Luke 1:26-31).

God had presented Mary with a gift—a life to grow inside of her—and the ensuing events truly re-veal how much thought went into the giving of the gift. Th e story continues . . . In those days Caesar Au-gustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world and everyone went to his own town to register.

Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David,

because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her fi rstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7)

Th e gift of Jesus was not only to be for Mary and Joseph, but was given for others as well ... And there were shepherds living out in the fi elds nearby, keeping watch over their fl ocks at night.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrifi ed. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Th is will be a sign to you: You will fi nd a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)

God wasn’t fi nished displaying all that He had pre-pared . . . Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and say-ing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has hap-pened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pon-dered them in her heart.

Th e shepherds returned, praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:13-20)

Now that’s the way to present a gift. God prepared everything to take place with a purpose. He wanted us to recognize His presence. His desire is the same for this Christmas as it was for the fi rst one so many years ago.

Whether we are gathering with friends, singing Christmas Carols or giving gifts, we need to recognize God’s “Presence” in all of our Christmas Festivities. When you think about Christmas this year, remember to spell it the way Jenny Lou Carson did in the song:

“C” is for the Christ Child born upon this day, “H” for herald angels in the night, “R” means our Re-deemer, “I” means Israel, “S” is for the star that shone so bright, “T” is for three wise men, they who traveled far, “M” is for the manger where He lay, “A” for all He stands for, “S” means shepherds came.

And that’s why there’s a Christmas Day! May God bless you richly this Christmas, remembering His “Presence” is the greatest gift of all!!

Christmas presence, not presents


InvermereIndependently Owned and Operated

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Wende Brash342-1300

Bernie Raven342-7415

Ed English342-1194

Jan Klimek342-1195

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Andy Smith342-1709

Bryan Hookenson341-1266

Rob Rice341-5935

Deborah-Kim Rice342-5935

Paul Glassford341-1395

See Yourself Owning Here

Black Forest Village

Well maintained, 3 bedroom home in Juniper Heights with stunning mountain views could be just what you are looking for. This is a great home for anyone just starting out, as it is in move-in condition. Close to all amenities. MLS#K166912

$150,000

Fantastic location for hobby farm/getaway. Almost 10 acres, mostly fenced with very livable home. Only 5 minutes to Premier Lake and only 35 to 40 minutes south of Fairmont on paved road. MLS#K166908

$449,900

Let a tenant pay the mortgage on this affordable, two bedroom townhome at the Invermere crossroads. Nearly new, vacant and ready for you; with garage, deck with privacy tree screen and close to town. Great investment for recreational, rev-enue or starter home MLS#K166972

$220,000

Lots of parking, wide open spaces and miles of hiking with the golf course and national park at your doorstep. Tons of room for all your guests and is in move-in condition. Includes three bedrooms plus huge bonus loft with wonderful balcony. MLS#K165989

$315,000

To build on this Fairmont Mountainside lot which has no building commitment and no GST. Lovely southwest views of the Columbia Valley and wetlands and centrally located in one of the favorite areas of the valley. MLS#K166086

$199,000

Fabulous opportunity to own this 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom Aurora town home. Ski to you door in winter from the world famous Panorama Ski Hill or enjoy hiking, biking or swimming in summer. Walk to all of the amenities that Panorama has to offer and only minutes to Invermere. MLS#K166091

$549,900

Subdividable 100 x 132 foot lot, complete with cosy 1600 sq foot rental home. Great holding property or fi rst time purchase. Must see inside, as home shows quite well. House next door also available. MLS#K165825

$350,000

The true craftsmanship of Quiniscoe Homes lends a classic, older feel to this neigh-bourhood. Wonderful views, central to schools, and walking distance to downtown core. The lots are ready to go, so come put your name on one! MLS#K165848

$134,900 +GST

The views go on and on from this 2nd fl oor 2 bedroom 2 bath condo unit. Situated away from the road, this condo offers majestic views, spacious living, eating bar with maple cabinets, black appliances, river rock fi replace and is close to all the amenities of Radium Hot Springs. MLS#K165212

$299,900

Let Your Dreams Come True!

Open concept living, including a large kitchen with oak cabi-nets and living room with vaulted cedar ceilings and large windows. Enjoy the views from your deck or landscaped yard. Walking distance to school, park and country store. Perfect for the full time or recreational homeowner. MLS#K163862

$739,000

One of a Kind

This beautifully crafted home awaits just the right owner. Already developed as an Inn, it can remain as such or simply use it as your elegant home with lots of rooms and plenty of privacy. Come enjoy our beautiful climate! MLS#K165384

$2,670,000

Jill Hall688-5675

Carpenter’s Lane

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