Maxine Dehart

Straight from DeHart

Date: February 21/2007

Jeff Gunn, local branch manager of Spall Plaza TD Canada Trust has received a prestigious award with TD. He received the “Vision in Action Annual Award of Distinction – Best of the Best”. Only 60 winners are chosen from over 60,000 employees. To achieve this distinction Jeff consistently demonstrated all six of TD Canada Trust’s guiding principles in their work. He is also a four time Champion Club winner. Call him at 762-4142

Connie Vetter-Johnson, formerly of the cosmetic department of the Bay is the new Assistant Manager for the store.

Chris Showler has joined the team at Scotiabank, Orchard Place branch as a personal banking officer. Chris is a graduate of OUC and has his Bachelor of Business Administration. He was born and raised in Kelowna and following in his aunt Doreen Showler's footsteps, who has worked for Scotiabank for many years and is now in Vernon. The Showler's are long-time Kelowna residents.

Creekside Counselling & Consulting is expanding and moving to a new facility. Their business name changed at the beginning of the year to “Stepping Stones Counselling Group” which specializes in Counselling and therapy services for children, youth and families. Their new larger location at 1369 Richter Street will be open in mid-March and will allow for a variety of therapists that specialize in working with trauma, loss, anxiety, disordered eating, autism, family needs, attachment, self esteem, depression and numerous other issues. Keep tuned for the date of their open house. Call 763-7414

The Loft Hair Company has opened at 557 Groves Avenue. Owned and operated by Jen Kocil the shop has been renovated and operates with three stylists who have been together for nine years. Call 859-1149

Café Soleil at 553 Bernard Avenue has renovated. It looks great, with new chairs, new paint and some new art work. They are open for breakfast and lunch and also serve the new “Max” sandwich. Fifty cents from every sandwich sold will be donated towards the Maxine DeHart-United Way, Ramada Hotel Drive-Thru Breakfast in September. Try one – they’re great and reasonable. Call 861-5528.

The new Edwards Jones office is now open at the corner of Ethel and Springfield at #101-2121 Ethel Street.

Got a note from Better Business Bureau’s Business Service Officer in the valley and former media guy Kevin Rothwell. After six years with the Better Business Bureau of Mainland BC, President Sheila Charneski has retired and Lynda Pasacreta is the new incoming president and CEO. She has been very involved in the BC real estate market as the former CEO of the BC Apartment Owners and Managers Association prior to joining the Better Business Bureau. Pasacreta will be visiting our area in March and meeting with media and other key organizations to promote the message to consumers to “check with BBB first” and to always ask a business if they are a member of the BBB before committing to a major purchase or service. Call the BBB at 1-888-803-1222 or e-mail Kevin at ktrothwell@shaw.ca

A new spa has opened at #101-1823 Harvey Avenue (at Spall). Owned and operated by natural health practitioner Stephanie Sondrup, with Angela Moore as the business manager and also a natural health practitioner, the spa is located in the former Moir Piano Studio. “My Health Club” offers massage, reflexology, Reiki, aromatherapy, Table Shiatsu, Holistic Counseling, body balancing, energy balancing and muscle testing, along with manicures and pedicures. They consider themselves a new and innovative centre for health whose training has given them a unique ability to assist their clients in attaining optimum health, utilizing various methods designed to pinpoint problems creating health issues that the client struggles with on a daily basis. I tried the European Lymph Massage and a pedicure. In all, they offer four different massages, along with acupressure. They also offer a unique three month membership, which you can redeem, a treatment a month for each month of the three month period or you can treat yourself by using all three treatments at once. They also offer non-member and off the street regular appointments for any service. Call 763-7338

“Eurowerx Autospa” is a new vehicle detailing business that has opened at #7-731 Stremel Road (behind Malibu Grand Prix). Owned and operated by Greg Ashauer who originally was from the valley and has been in the auto industry for over 11 years, the company specializes in complete vehicle detailing including wash and wax, power polishing and complete interior reconditioning in their brand new state-of-the-art facility, with three inside bays and three outside. Some of the special services they offer are “dry cleaning” for interior carpets and mats and special polishes and glazes specifically designed for our valley water. Why not treat your vehicle to a day at the spa! They even pick-up and deliver locally. Call 470-7312

“Bootcamps” seem to be the wave of the future and a new one has been started by Jessica Caldwell and Tony Pallas. “Cardio- Core Bootcamp is the perfect kick-start for spring, offering classes to all ages and genders at all levels. It offers an exercise program that reduces weight, inches and allows people to see quick results. They challenge you with circuit training, weight training, yoga, pilates, ball sculpting, spinning, obstacle training, running, power walking and improved stretching techniques, giving your mind and body the optimal fitness experience. The focus of the four week “Total Body Conditioning” Bootcamp is to improve ones strength, conditioning, agility and balance as well as overall fitness. Cardio-Core Bootcamp takes place indoors and outdoors and fully outdoors beginning in late April. They offer one-hour morning and evening classes, three to five days per week. Cardio-Core is a franchise and has locations over 25 locations in B.C. Call 808-2673 or see corebootcamp.com

Budget Car & Truck Rentals, only in Canada, is now offering Airmiles Reward Miles as of January 8/07. Additionally from now until March 15^th, Budget is offering Triple Airmiles. Dan Marshall is the sales and marketing manager of Budget Car & Truck Rentals in Kelowna. Call him at 869-8801 or e-mail him at dan.marshall@bcbudget.com

The Kelowna & District Safety Council is hosting a course on March 14^th to help those interested in touring to prepare for their first big ride. The new “Introduction to Motorcycle Touring” course gives information on bike care, insurance, logistics, routes, healthcare, packing, safety and more. Handouts included. Call 765-3163

The Kelowna Actors Studio is calling all budding actors. This new exciting program will take your child on a full and creative journey into the world of acting. Through theatre games and exercises, they will explore a variety of stage skills and techniques, TV and “Film, improve, masks, movie and theatre scenes, mime, monologues, musical theatre and much more. They will develop their talent and confidence for performing onstage in a fully operational theatre, under the guidance of professional instructors and have a lot of fun doing it. Camps are available in ½ day or full day format for one or both weeks of Spring Break, March 12-23/2007. For more info or to register call 862-2867 or visit the office at 1379 Ellis Street. Space is limited.

Would you like to volunteer for the Historica Fair? The Kelowna Museum is hosting a Historica Fair April 12-14.Students from throughout the Okanagan will create projects on Canadian heritage. These projects will be on display at the Museum for public viewing April 13 and 14^th. The judging will take place on April 13 and the students will be present at the Kelowna Museum on Saturday, April 14 to offer interpretation, answer questions and share historical knowledge. Historica Fairs are an enriching community event, but they require the help of many educators, parents, heritage groups and volunteers to organize. This will be a Pilot for the Kelowna Museum’s first time hosting a Regional Historica Fair. If you are interested in volunteering at this year’s Fair, call the Education and Public Programming Department 868-4836.

With all the talk about Westbank either amalgamating with Kelowna, or not, received some interesting building statistics for 2006 from the Regional District. During 2006 1,188 building permits were approved for projects in the Westside and Central Okanagan East Electoral Areas worth an estimated $143.7 Million. That compares with 1,152 permits approved in 2005 for projects valued at $135.2 Million.

Ballet Kelowna’s spring season opens at the Kelowna Community Theatre on March 2 and 3^rd presenting two new ballets, including their first jazz ballet. There is also a free after-school educational performance for students on Thursday, March 1 at 4pm at the KCT. After these performances, the company will leave on a provincial tour – 26 performances in total for the spring. With only 50 performances per year now, this company is quickly becoming Kelowna’s cultural ambassador. Call 762-6105.

Quote of the week – The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion. (G.K. Chesterton)

Birthdays of the week – Carol Lesiuk (Feb.24); Kit Carson, Peachland (Feb. 25); Brad Cronquist, Berge Horn (Feb. 25); Carmen Prive, Westjet (Feb. 22).

Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna hotelier. Phone her at 979-4546, fax 860-3173, E-mail maxdehart@telus.net and web-site www.welcometokelowna.com (click on Business)