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This year, Express Gift Baskets owned by Karen Murphy is celebrating their 15th anniversary. To celebrate, they have moved into a brand new warehouse and showroom located at #6 - 556 Neave Court (off Sexsmith in the Lougheed commercial area). The new warehouse is closer to the airport allowing easier access and is a more efficient production and shipping facility. Gift baskets can be delivered all across Canada with Fed Ex for only $16.95. www.expressgiftbaskets.net. Call 250- 763-7445.
Congratulations to the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce new board members; Gladys Fraser (Scotiabank); Ben Pidskalny (SW Audio Visual); Curtis Darmohray (Pushor Mitchell Lawyers LLP); Rob Siddon (Coast Wholesale Appliances); Sally Ginter (Canadian Cancer Society) and Carmen Sparg (Total Office). Karen Hawes of Interior Savings Credit Union is the president of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce.
Ryan Watters is the new communications manager for The Downtown Kelowna Association. Ryan is well-known with his experience with the Kelowna Rockets, Kelowna Falcons and Okanagan Sun, as well as the RyanWatters.ca Sports Drive. His primary job will be to use e-marketing, communications and social media to communicate to the downtown Kelowna members and the general public. Call 250-862-3515 or ryan@downtownkelowna.com
Two-time PGA Tour Champion and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame inductee, Richard Zokol will be joining the golf team at Predator Ridge at the start of the 2012 season., As executive director, golf development, Zokol will be responsible for overseeing the resorts golf development, furthering the golf experience for guests and residents and expanding the presence of Predator Ridge’s brand.
Ayn Lexi, working out of the Kelowna office, is the new regional manager of “CNIB”. The organization has moved to new premises at #101-1456 St. Paul Street. They now have a brand new fully functional independent living skills kitchen that was sponsored by the Kelowna Orchard City Lions. This new kitchen will enable cnib to teach life skills, including doing laundry with their new washers and dryers. They also have new technology equipment for blind and partially sighted individuals. Call 250-763-1191
I attended the 30th Anniversary of Hospice at the Benvoulin Church Hall. The food was provided by Zabeanra Café and Bake Shop, located at #2-1790 KLO Road (At Benvoulin). Owner Kassandra Sullivan and her mother Rosanne Laberge did a wonderful job of the food at the event. The fruit platter was displayed beautifully and tasted as good as it looked, as did all the treats. At their café, they offer a good variety of fresh home-made (all from scratch) scones, loaves, cookies, cakes, other desserts, light lunch items, loose leaf and bag teas, along with Cherry Hill coffee. Open 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Call 778-484-4448
RCMP Terry McLaughlin who for the last four years, has acted as the Watch Commander for Watch 4 (Platoon Captain) is starting a new position with the South East District as an Advisory NCO for the Kootenay Region. His new responsibilities will see him acting as coach and mentor to the smaller detachments in that region.
Congratulations to Paul Demay of Investors Group on receiving the Investors prestigious Herbert H. Carnegie Community Leadership Award. This award recognizes Investors Group Consultants who demonstrate extraordinary long-term community service, together with a commitment to business excellence and client service. Paul was chosen for his outstanding community work with the United Way where he served as president, campaign chair and a board member. He is also a board member of the YM/YWCA, a great supporter of the local food banks, and a fundraiser for countless other organizations. Call 250-762-3329
30 year old business, Valley Pool and Spa located at 1655 Cary Road, is a second generation family owned business with Gene Brown as president of the company. They do various pool installations and specialize in concrete pools with vanishing edges and perimeter overflows. They are extremely involved with design to make sure the pool is in keeping with the interior of the home. In 2011, they won three US GAVA awards, six International Masters of Design awards and 11 Canadian Pool awards. Two of these pools also won Tommie awards for the homes based on the outdoors. Pictures of some of the award winning pools are in the February 2012 Edition of Pool & Spa Marketing Magazine. Call 250-868-7600.
The grand opening of Co-Ed Club “GoodLife Fitness” in the Capri Centre Mall is March 1 – 4. The ribbon cutting is Thursday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m. with GoodLife founder David Patchell-Evans and Olympian inspirational speaker, author and Good Life Kids ChampionSilken Laumann in attendance.
Roger Gillespie has joined the Hester Creek team as director of hospitality, overseeing the visitor experience as it relates to the wine shop, special events and guest relations. Roger previously worked for the Harvest Golf Club, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery and See Ya Later Ranch until he opened his own restaurant in Summerland, The Victoria Road Deli & Bistro. Hester Creek is situated in the Golden Mile Region of Oliver.
The next Uptown Rutland Business Association (URBA) Uptown After Hours is March 7th from 5 – 7 p.m. at Benson Law LLP at 270 Highway 33 West.
RackForce, a leading Canadian Cloud Service Provider, today welcomed Canadian Cloud Computing as a reseller partner to deliver Cloud computing solutions built on the RackForce Cloud. Canadian Cloud provides enterprise Cloud solutions to small and medium-sized businesses who want to leverage the flexibility, scalability and value of Cloud computing, but who lack the specialized in-house expertise to do so. Brian Fry is the co-founder and CMO of RackForce Networks. Call 250-448-2226.
Glenmore Business Network will have their next meeting on March 6th at 7:30 p.m. at Sandalwood. They are encouraging Glenmore business people to attend, bring a friend or business associate. If you cannot make it, perhaps send someone from your business to represent you. For more info, costs or to confirm your attendance e-mail Dennis Campbell, Sandalwood general manager at dennisc@regencyresorts.ca or call 250-717-1884.
If you are looking for one of Michelle Cowan’s safety flags for water skiers and pulling loved ones behind your ski boat, you can pick them up “free” at Cupcasions at #170- 200 Spall Road (off Springfield).
Ran into Jim Armstrong, chief instructor of the culinary arts department trades and apprenticeship at Okanagan College. I always enjoy the reminder that Infusions Restaurants at Okanagan College is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Friday. If you have never experienced the culinary menu at Infusions, you are missing out. The culinary arts department does a magnificent job of the menu and service and you are also supporting our very own Okanagan College. Call 250-862-5455 for reservations.
The Kelowna & District Safety Council is inviting members of the community to submit their names for consideration as a board member starting March 29 with up to three positions available. The Safety Council is a non-profit organization that promotes safety training and awareness in order to reduce the incidence of bodily injury and death as well as damage to property. If you are interested, complete the application on www.kdsc.bc.ca and submit it along with a current resume to tkmeyer@kdsc.bc.ca by March 15 or call 250-765-3163.
The 2012 executive members of the Okanagan Regional Library Board are Chair, Ted Bacigalupo (Columbia-Shuswap Regional District); vice-chair Carol Zanon (West Kelowna); finance chair, Mark Pendergraft (Okanagan Similkameen Regional District); policy and planning chair, Peter Schierbeck (Peachland) and personnel chair, Marilyn Harkness (Princeton).
Can’t wait to seeVern Nielsen and Jeni MacMillan who are competing in “Swinging with the Stars” for Hospice. Help “Team Vern” with his fundraiser “Boogie Nights at Bottega” on March 3 at Bottega, 4485 Sallows Road in South East Kelowna at 6:30 p.m. Performing at the event is M.A.S.K., a vocal group accompanied by piano and drums that have been performing in the valley for 20 years. Jeni and her professional partner Warren Easton will also be performing. Tickets $75 with a charity donation receipt available. Call 250-470-9228 or 250-863-8204.
Big thanks to Wayne (evening shift) at the Esso on Gordon and KLO for his great customer service.
The following students were the winners of the School District #23 poster contest. Congrat’s toLaura O’Brien and Lauren Duggan, Grade 7, Chute Lake Elementary School; Kendel Akune, Grade 7, Springvalley Middle School and Nadine Scott, Grade 12, KSS. Also recognized from School District #23 at the Hero Awards were teachers, Don Bingham, KSS; Roger Kirk, Springvalley Middle School and Tony Sodara, KSS.
During education week, from March 6 – 10, the Kelowna Heritage Classroom in the old Central Elementary School at 1825 Richter Street will be open to the public for viewing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. If you would like to relive your past school days or would like to know what it was like when your grandparents went to school, go and take a look. Classroom teachers may make arrangements to bring students by calling retired teacher Sig Ottenbreit at 250-762-2630. Sig taught his first classes in a one-room, eight grades school in Saskatchewan, starting August 12, 1946. He retired from teaching at Mount Boucherie Secondary in 1984. I’ve seen the old classroom and it’s quite something.
Sun Country Furniture, owned by Carol Dodge is hosting a free workshop on March 7 at 5 p.m., featuring Rick Melnychuk, and Helmut Prion, co-owners of Opus Garden Creations, along with Carol speaking about her buying trip to Asia and Rene Bourgault, owner of SYNLawn Okanagan. Call 250-863-9488 for more info. www.suncountryfurniture.com
The Kelowna Family Centre Society’s 5th Anuual Fundraising Dance is March 3rd at the German Canadian Club with live band the “Young uns”. Tickets only $20 by calling 250-860-3181 or drop by #204-347 Leon Avenue. They are still looking for sponsors and silent auction items.
Birthdays of the week – Happy 70th Connie Penner (Mar. 6); Happy 65th Gary Embleton, Embleton & Associates (Mar. 6); Happy 50th Leon Gaba, Mission Creek Wine Cellars (Mar. 3); Faye Willms (Mar. 2); Walter Kristalowich (Mar. 3); Dee Campbell, Glenmore Elementary School (Mar. 4); Sandra Hofer, Sun-Rype (Mar. 5); Ian Graham (Mar.6); Donna Horning (Mar. 6).
Maxine DeHartis a Kelowna hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546, fax 250-860-3173, E-mail maxdehart@telus.net and web-site www.welcometokelowna.com (click on Columns, then Maxine DeHart)
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