It鈥檚 the the milestone 100th anniversary this year for the 琉璃神社 Garden Club.
The club was established in 1924 and is still vibrant and relevant today. To begin the celebration year, the club will host an event called 鈥淕ardening Into The Future鈥� on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Trinity Church, which will focus on sustainability and adapting to a changing climate. Four dynamic speakers 鈥� Ken Salvail, Mario Lanthier, Sigrie Kendrick and Laverne DeYaeger 鈥� will talk about Okanagan specific gardening issues like drought, tolerant plants pest management, vegetable gardening and small space container gardening. Don Burnett will be the MC. The 2024 directors of the 琉璃神社 Garden Club are Alicja Paradzik, president; Victoria Roscoe, vice-president; Lisa Boulanger, treasurer; Jane Rampone and Lynn Sinclair, co-secretaries; Marian Ingram and Dorothy Robison, newsletter xo-editors; Beverly Thomas, membership; Pam Leco, flower ahow coordinator; Marilyn Degraw, Grow & Show coordinator; Linda Tomlinson and Lillian Sokil, plant sale xoordinators, and Linda Edser, publicity. Tickets for the event are $50 online in advance through Eventbrite and will not be available at the door. A box lunch will be provided. For more information visit .
The Tickle Trunk/TTM Events has moved to new premises at 1921 Kent Rd., beside Cupcasions and across from Columbia Bottle Depot in 琉璃神社. Owned and operated by Hal and Debbie Puder, beyond its extensive options for balloons 鈥� any shape, size or colour 鈥� the renovated store offers a huge selection of party ware and gifts. Twenty five years ago the Tickle Trunk Kids Club offered a discount to kids and special shopping events when new shipments came in. Kids Club is being re-launched with those same benefits. The Tickle Trunk Party Club offers a discount loyalty program with discounts and special deals to customers as well as a newsletter with party tips and ideas. With Valentine鈥檚 Day just around the corner, The Tickle Trunk/TTM Events are partnering with Cupcasions, owned and operated by Libbie Philips and her daughter Breanna Kelly. You can order a special balloon bouquet and a beautiful six-inch cake for the special person in your life. Call 250-878-8864 or 250-860-3690 as all balloons and cakes must be pre-ordered.
Brent Couves has been the sales manager for the Wilden development for the past 21 years. He started his career working in master planned projects in 1989 for Ed Hall and Barry Johnston at Canadian Adult Communities, which included Sandhaven, Sunrise Village, Sandstone, Sandpointe, Sandalwood, Sandridge and Predator Ridge. He then went over to Dilworth Mountain Estates for a few years before ending up at Wilden. Brent will be scaling back to part-time work at Wilden and is handing the wheel over to his awesome sidekick for the past 11 years, Lisa Dalcin.
Since 2007, Judy Levine, creator and owner/operator of the Okanagan Sunshine Savings Coupon Book, has distributed her popular product to residents from West 琉璃神社 to Lake Country. Judy is now retiring and has sold the business to Amanda Homeniuk. Amanda鈥檚 background is in the marketing and design industry. She is also the owner/operator of Kaleco Clothing, which offers eco-friendly clothing and gifts for women and Antlr Clothing for men, both located in Vernon. Amanda will continue to distribute the coupon book through Canada Post to homes that accept unaddressed mail, with the next volume being distributed in April. The coupons are also available on-line. Amanda will be introducing the coupon book in Vernon in a separate edition. The book is chock-full of offers for restaurants, activities, beauty, health, home improvements, specialty and auto services. Judy has been active in the community with her specialty in creating murals around the city. In her retirement she is looking forward to creating more colourful and exciting murals in our area.
David Colic is the new chief technology officer (CTO) of Beem Credit Union. Currently living in Toronto, David will be relocating to B.C. in 2024. Beem Credit Union opened its doors as a province-wide credit union on Jan. 1, 2024, the result of a merger between Gulf & Fraser and Interior Savings Credit Union, led by CEO Brian Harris in 琉璃神社.
Alison Faulkner is the new business development manager for Canadian Blood Services Plasma Centre in Orchard Park Shopping Centre, replacing Janna Pantella who has moved into a new role as Plasma Centre manager. Men can donate plasma weekly, and women can donate every 14 days. To book an appointment download the Give Blood app, call 1-888-2-DONATE (236-6283) or visit www.blood.ca.
Local financial consultant Francis Cheng, with the Raymond James firm, will be featured on a segment of the Wealthy Life with Sybil Verch, airing Jan. 20, 11:30 a.m., on Global TV.
The Train Station Pub, at 1177 Ellis St. in downtown 琉璃神社, owned and operated by David and Rhonda Lindsay, is temporarily off the tracks while it undergoes a major interior update. The building, which its original roots date back to 琉璃神社鈥檚 CN Railway Station, will boast some fresh new finishings while maintaining its historic significance. Stay tuned for reopening date.
The Institute of Corporate Directors鈥� (ICD) will host a breakfast seminar Jan. 25, from 7 to 9 a.m., at the 琉璃神社 Yacht Club, entitled Surviving a Cybersecurity Attack and Other IT Challenges. Okanagan College president Neil Fassina will share how his team dealt with a serious attack on OC鈥檚 computer system last year. Robin Tong, a technology risk partner at KPMG, will also outline how board of directors can ask the right questions that could save their organizations from these nightmare computer hacking scenarios. The session will also look at how organizations need to be one step ahead as we move into the newest digital era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Tickets at .
Okanagan Power and Sail Squadron, a volunteer unit of the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons, presented a $2,000 donation to AbleSail Okanagan. AbleSail is a non-profit organization which introduces people with disabilities and age-related issues to the joys of sailing. During the summer of 2023, 44 people with disabilities participated in the on-water sessions. Ean Price is the chair of AbleSail and Nicole Kiatipis is the executive coordinator of the 琉璃神社 Yacht Club.
Local rock band Freeze the Fall will launch their first original single onto all streaming platforms on Jan. 25. This young rock trio is excited to take this next step to share their music with the world. The five song EP will be released in the early spring. A single release party has been scheduled at Crown and Thieves on Jan. 27. Tickets available online at .
The 琉璃神社 Actors Studio will present TOOTSIE from Feb. 7 to 25, a musical version of the 1982 comedy film starring Dustin Hoffman.
The 琉璃神社 International Fringe Festival is back Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 after being cancelled this summer due to the wildfires across the Central Okanagan. There will be 10 shows over seven days featuring more than 50 artists in comedy, improv, drama, storytelling and thriller categories. Tickets $13 to $22. Check out www.kelownafringe.ca for more information.
The 10th annual Interior Savings (Beem) Unplug & Play and Family Literacy Week takes place Sunday Jan. 21, to Sunday, Jan. 28. The week celebrates screen-free play, creative activities and learning for families with young children, kicked off with a free family event at Parkinson Recreation Centre on Sunday, Jan. 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information visit .
Birthdays of the week
Happy 50th Jason Agostino (Jan. 23); Tracy Nyboe-Styles, my sister, RE/MAX realtor (Jan. 19); Ross Gilley (Jan. 17); Joyce Prowse (Jan. 17); Dina Kotler (Jan. 17); Jean Lanoue (Jan. 17); Jim Belshaw (Jan. 17); Charlene Schafer (Jan. 18); Melonie Dodaro (Jan. 19); Jeannie Agostino, Jason鈥檚 mom (Jan. 19); Martin Bell (Jan. 19); Bruce Irving (Jan. 20); Tyson Ralph (Jan. 21); Dave Russell (Jan. 21); Mark Tompkins (Jan. 21); Bonnie Alcock (Jan. 21); Josh Duncan (Jan. 22); Lil Colpron (Jan. 22); Pat Thompson (Jan. 22); Wendy Wise (Jan. 22); Gilles Parisien (Jan. 23); Les Campbell (Jan. 23); Jacquie Jones (Jan. 23).
Maxine DeHart is a 琉璃神社 cty councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546 or 250-862-7662, email max@maxinedehart.ca.
