Entrepreneur Manik Dhir is the owner of Hollywood Market in Rutland, a 40-year landmark in Rutland at 544 Hollywood Rd. South.

The market was previously owned for about 30 years by Linda MacDonald, familiar as the Hollywood Deli. Manik has since purchased the market and the building and now has converted one business into four viable businesses that employ 27 people in the same plaza. The Hollywood Market is both a specialty grocery store and convenience store which also specializes in one-of-a-kind products and specialty candy. With over 300 cool products, you will find one-of-a-kind candy items produced from all over the world such as Reece’s Snack Cake, Reece’s Fast Break, Reece’s Big Cup Potato Chip, Kit Kat Fruity Cereal, nine flavours of Laffy Taffy Candy, Dunkaroos, and beverages found only at the market of Vanilla Coke, Fanta Pineapple and Chubby drinks. Manik is presently on the board of the KGH Foundation and is vice-chair on the Rotary Centre of the Arts board. Other businesses in the plaza are eMDee’s Indian Bistro (takeout), Barkley’s Muttland Pet Grooming and Day Care, and Salsa & Sabor Latin Restaurant (takeout).

In business for 15 years, basket artist Louise Babiuk is the owner of Creative Baskets…By Design. The company creates and specialize in distinctly unique custom baskets for any occasion, taking pride on bringing quality options and ideas to their clients. No two baskets are ever alike, and local Okanagan products are used helping to support other local vendors. Learn more at www.kelownacustombaskets.com.

Pam Radar is the owner of Shift Power Yoga and the CEO of the newly expanded Shift Labs Inc., a coaching and leadership development company in the Okanagan. Pam has now published a best-selling book, Through The Cracks. Pam did not just crave freedom. Her survival depended on it. Having escaped at knifepoint from her violent alcoholic husband, she desperately sought a new beginning for her and her infant son. After a string of failed relationships and marriages, her worst nightmare unfolded before her eyes as her beloved boy developed an out-of-control heroin addiction. In this deeply personal and touching story, Pam recounts her struggle for independence and acceptance during the most turbulent time of her life. If you like complex characters, enriching hope and transformative revelations, then you will love Pam’s powerful tale. The book is available through Amazon.ca and locally Shift Power Yoga at 102-2370 Bering Rd. in West ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç.

Small Business Week is Oct. 17-23. The ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç Chamber of Commerce, Downtown ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç Association, Central Okanagan Economic Commission, Uptown Rutland Business Association, Westbank First Nation, Westside Board of Trade and others will be participating in the annual Business Walks program in recognition of this special week for our business community. I took part in the business walk on Tuesday morning, joined by Derek Gratz from UBC Okanagan, Stuart Park of Park Pacific Properties and Dan Price of Dilworth Quality Homes. With COVID protocols, teams will be visiting businesses in all parts of ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç.

Happy 58th anniversary

Bob and Sonja Rosco (Oct. 22).

Shelley Adams, the creative genius behind the Whitewater Cooks series of cookbooks enjoyed by over 250,000 cooks, has once again found the alchemy for delicious, easy to prepare, beautiful food. Whitewater Cooks Together Again, the sixth in the series, is one of the silver linings of the pandemic. Deeply missing connection with family and friends, Shelley used her time at home and trademark approach to fresh and flavourful ingredient to create over 80 recipes. Now living on the shores of Kootenay Lake in Nelson, the book is beautifully presented with gorgeous photos and easy to read and follow recipes. The 180-page cookbook includes starters, salads, soups and sides, dinners, and desserts. The book is distributed by Nancy Wise of Sandhill Book Marketing Ltd. and is available locally at Mosaic Books and Lakehouse Home Store.

The Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission (COEDC) and partners Tourism ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç and Accelerate Okanagan has won two International Economic Development Council Awards for its OKGo Marketing Campaign, including a Gold Rank in the category of Magazine and Newsletter and a Silver Rank in the category of Special Purpose Website. The OKGo partnership is about working together to leverage the strengths of the partners to tell the story of the vibrant and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Central Okanagan to national and global audiences.

Okanagan Clinical Trials will conduct a new Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine study this fall. RSV is a seasonal virus that infects the airways of the lungs in older adults with weakened immune systems and in individuals with chronic heart and lung conditions. Currently there are no licensed vaccines or treatment available for RSV in the adult population. If you are interested in being included in the RSV vaccine trial, call Okanagan Clinical Trials at 250-862-8141. Kim Christie is the president of Okanagan Clinical Trials.

READ MORE: Have a Laugh! with Third Space Charity in ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç

Third Space charity is planning an evening of good, old-fashioned fun designed to make you laugh on Nov. 4. In fact, the name of the event is Laugh, with a lighthearted, variety-show-style, online fundraiser in aid of mental health, presented by the Payton and Dillon Budd Memorial Fund. Laugh will include an online auction, stand-up comedy by Denis Grignon, local performer Paige Matheson, magic buy Alex Zander, music by Juno-award winning musician Darryl James and vintage trio Kitsch n’ Sync, an epic best joke contest with the winner decided by audience votes and more. Tickets for the online show are $30 for a single attendee, $50 for two and $75 for a group of three or more. To purchase tickets and submit an entry for the joke contest (Best Dad Joke and Best Knock Knock Joke) visit .

ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç Friends of the Library will host an indoor book sales on Sunday, Nov. 7 and 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days, at 2476 Westlake Rd. in West ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç. Walk-through, mini-sales, and cash only. Funds support Okanagan Regional Library.

Watch for the Closet Cleanout on Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Kanata Hotel with all COVID protocols. Entry is $5. Expect to see fall and winter clothing.

The Okanagan Xeriscape Association says a big thank-you to K2 Stone for their generous donation of a pallet of bluestone flagstones for their renovations to the unH2O garden in the Mission Recreation Park. The majority of the flagstones was used to create a path through the newly created Woodland Grove section of the garden, which features low-water trees and soon to be planted law-water shrubs and hedging options. The remainder of the flagstones was used to create a whimsical secondary path through the existing native garden, with the pieces arranged in groupings and a pre-grown sedum mat planted around then. Also, the flagstones provide examples of how you can incorporate the beauty of flagstones into your home landscapes. Take a look next time you are at the garden.

I will not be writing a column next week. See you in the Nov. 3 edition of the Capital News.

Birthdays of the week

Ken Good (Oct. 20); Bob Kuehn (Oct. 20); Elenna Wallace (Oct. 20); Dennis Perley (Oct. 20); Donna Majewski (Oct. 21); Roxy Paul (Oct. 21); Janet Walter (Oct. 22); Jenelle Hynes (Oct. 22); Vicky Chan (Oct. 22); Brent Pay (Oct. 22); Angelina Agostino (Oct. 23): Anna Jacysyn (Oct. 23); Linda Hayes (Oct. 23); Colleen Brown (Oct. 24); Robert Letvinchuk (Oct. 24); Joe Creron (Oct. 24); Diane Belanger (Oct. 24); Leon Thomas (Oct. 25); Peter Kirk (Oct. 26).

Maxine DeHart is a ÁðÁ§ÉñÉç city councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546 or 250-862-7662; email max@maxinedehart.ca.

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