By Maxine DeHart

After a career in golf in both ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç at Black Mountain Golf Club and Eagle Ranch in Invermere, B.C., Eric Thorsteinson has now become a director of fun. Eric has moved back to ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç and has launched a new company, OutsideCinema.ca. OutsideCinema.ca is an outdoor movie theatre company servicing the valley from Osoyoos to Kamloops and beyond. They host unforgettable outdoor movie events on giant inflatable outdoor screens. This brings friends, family and community together through the magic and nostalgia of outdoor movies. OutsideCinema.ca operates in parks, schools, golf courses, wineries or back yards. It is a great gathering for community events, backyard parties or block parties. Visit www.outsidecinema.ca or call Eric at 1-250-341-5134 for a quote.

I am thrilled to have been appointed to the Chartered Professional Accountants Education Foundation (CPAEF) as a public representative on the board, as recommended by the CPABC (Chartered Professional Accountants BC) provincial board, as a member of the society. I was formerly a public representative on the CPABC board for six years and enjoyed my term immensely.

Apple Valley Promotions owned and operated by Gordon and Brenda Hunting is celebrating 35 years in business. They started selling cases of matches to restaurants and pubs. Clients started to ask for t-shirts, glassware, tote bags, pens and other items which prompted them to source new suppliers. Apple Valley Promotions now has access to 500,000 plus products through preferred suppliers. If they cannot find it, you do not need it. With six employees including Gord, he still looks forward to working every day. Promotional products are one of the most effective, targeted advertising vehicles available in today’s maze of advertising. They won’t be turned off, have their channel changed or be thrown in the recycle bin. Apple Valley has been a sponsor of the Maxine DeHart, United Way – Ramada Hotel Drive-Thru Breakfast since its inception. Call 250-764-4465. www.applevalleypromotions.com.

SunRype is taking a page out of its own rich history book with the launch of new Premium Craft Apple Cider that harkens back to the 1950’s when the iconic B.C. brand introduced Canada’s first hard cider. The package design features an adaptation of the retro SunRype logo, circa 1946, accented with a graphic representation of the Okanagan Valley, which SunRype still calls home. It was only a matter of time before the company rolled up its sleeves and crafted a cider to join in the growing craft cider market. SunRype Premium Craft Cider contains 5.5 per cent alcohol and is available in 473 ml cans at select private liquor stores in BC. www.SunRypeCider.ca.

Well-known Mcleans Café, tucked away at #8–1415 Hunter Court has new owners and a new operations manager. The restaurant was originally started by Alex and Evelyn Nyuli 38 years ago. They still come into the café every Saturday. The new operations manager is well-known chef Bernie Senuk. The café is open for breakfast and lunch from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Saturday with about 40 seats. For breakfast there is everything from bacon and eggs and omelets to oatmeal, pancakes and French toast. Their most popular breakfast item is the hungry man, which consists of three eggs, three bacon, three sausage, three pieces of ham, blueberry pancakes and toast – all for $10.50. Macleans also has a part-time pastry chef, Cornel Fisher who bakes all the fresh cinnamon buns, muffins, banana loaves and cookies that you can enjoy with Cherry Hill coffee. You should see the size of the cinnamon buns. Lunch offers homemade soups, sandwiches, burgers, and Quesadillas. You can eat in or take out. A small café with a big attitude. Call 250-763-7255 or mcleanscafe@gmail.com.

Teresa May is the new sales and marketing agent for Hiilite at #115–1690 Water Street. Call 250-469-2928 or Teresa@hiilite.com.

Points West Audio Visual, Acoustics and Healthcare at #8–1905 Evergreen Court has expanded with a new Healthcare division. Owner Tracey Cochrane recently introduced their integrated wireless safety systems to provincial care providers at the BC Care Providers Association annual meeting. With the increasing numbers of aging adults living in care facilities, as they are no longer able to safely live on their own or with family, frontline workers and other people in care are at risk of injury from those suffering from dementia or psychotic episodes. Points West has created an integrated staff and residential safety system for residential care facilities. The wireless technologies provide mobile alerts, resident monitoring and nurse-call as a complete package or individually as needed. Together they form a virtual safety net for healthcare workers and people in care. Call 250-861-5424 www.pointswestav.com.

Sip n’ Stroll Tours is a two hour historical walking tour of ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç then and now, with a couple of sip stops in-between to share the love of ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç with tourists and locals. Owned and operated by Lee Carroll, the sip stops are in historical buildings like the Train Station Pub (1927) that make Okanagan hard ice tea, Sturgeon Hall (1921) ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç’s record newspaper building serving up a drink called snakebite, which is cider and beer together or the Curious Café (1894) for local draft beer or homemade root beer. You will also hear some history gossip along the way. The daily walking tours are at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Purchase tickets for either tour online at www.sipnstrolltours.com or call 250-863-8687.

Summerhill Pyramid Winery has released six new wines. 2016 Organic Pinot Gris, 2016 Alive Organic White, 2015 Alive Organic Red, 2014 Organic Merlot, 2012 Syrah and 2016 Syrah Malbec Rose. Only 500 cases bottled so get your bottle before it’s too late. www.summerhill.bc.ca.

Congratulations to The Village at Gallagher’s Canyon who participated in the National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. The community was one of 34 groups across the country that received a $500 award in funding for local mitigation projects that will help reduce the risk of wildfire damage in their community. Their project involved residents in their 14 strata’s that participated in a massive spring cleaning effort totaling 679 man-hours, 190 resident volunteers and 353 plastic garbage bags of debris. Since becoming a designed FireSmart community last year, their residents have seriously bought into the concept of mitigating a fire start-up in their community as well as demonstrating the pride they have in maintaining their reputation as first-class golf community. National Wildlife Community Preparedness Day events help raise awareness of wildfires, and bring residents of all ages together to work on projects to protect their homes and communities. www.firesmartcanada.ca.

St. Andrews 88th Annual Flower Show and Tea is Saturday, June 10th from 2 to 4 p.m. at the church at 4619 Lakeshore Road. The tradition of flower shows in Okanagan Mission goes back many years and in keeping with the annual custom, St. Andrews still holds the annual show. Enjoy a beautiful display of spring flowers and a cup of tea for $5.00. Everyone is welcome to enter floral arrangements. For more information call 250-764-2626 or Bev at 250-764-7478.

TSTM is now officially open in The Bay. About 100 people lined up to be first in the new store within The Bay. The second gal in line had been waiting in her car from 6 a.m. with a friend. Everyone received a gift card and the registers were ringing. Darla Strutt is the manager of The Bay. Call 250-860-2483.

Strengthen your relationship skills to successfully navigate the transition to parenthood. New to ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç, the Bringing Baby Home Workshop helps pregnant and postpartum (to three years) couples learn the skills they need to avoid common pitfalls when having a baby such as reduced marital satisfaction, increased conflict, and postpartum depression with research by relationship expert Dr. John Gottman. For more information and to register for the June 24 and 25 12–hour workshop brought by Sue Musleh, M. Ed. RCC, Registered Clinical Counsellor, go to www.muslehcounselling.ca or call Sue at 250-868-9452.

The ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç Women in Business Annual Charity Event, a wine tour and dinner is June 9 starting and ending at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf Club. All proceeds to Mamas for Mamas. Register and pay in advance at www.kwib.org as payments not accepted at the door.

The Fat Cat Children’s Festival is Saturday, June 10 with this year’s theme being Okanagan Stories. Floats are still invited to enter the parade and kids are encouraged to decorate their bike, trike or hikers and join in the kiddie brigade at the front of the parade. For float information contact Dorothee Birker, Festival Artistic Director at 250-860-4911 or innovexevents@gmail.com.

Birthdays of the week – Happy 50th T.J., EZ Rock 101-5 (June 4); Darryl Burry (May 31); Mark Flett (June 1); Bruce Telford (June 2); Barbie Ross (June 2); Bill Winter, Grant Thornton LLP (June 4); Roma Niessen (May 31); Dean Siminoff (June 1); Ann Petrone ((June 2); David McDougall (June 3); Andrew Gaucher (June 4); Maxine (Loyst) Ablett (June 5); Daryl Reuter (June 6).

Maxine DeHart is a ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç City Councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546, fax 250-860-3173, E-mail maxdehart@telus.net.