Maxine Dehart

Straight from DeHart

Date: March 21/2007

This week’s column is dedicated to Ann Smith, a very exceptional lady and a long-time friend who passed away on March 10. Ann and I had been friends for over 23 years, having met the same time I joined the Ramada Hotel. She was a vibrant and well-known businesswoman in Kelowna, having worked for Budget Car and Truck Rentals for many years. She was also instrumental in putting Kelowna on the map in the tourism industry in earlier years through her affiliation with “Destination Kelowna.” Her special friendship will be missed by many.

Guess what everyone? I’ve made it nine years in the media industry. It’s the ninth anniversary of this column and surprise – I’m still here! Huge thanks to all of you, our readers, friends, colleagues and clients for supporting the Capital News, this column and me. Your continued loyalty and encouragement have made our success. Thanks for all the leads, faxes, e-mails, phone calls, stops on the street and visits to the Ramada Hotel and Conference Centre (where I hang my hat). Keep them coming. I appreciate everything, especially all of you taking me into your confidence each week. I certainly could not have made this great milestone without your help.

Centum LendingMax Corp. in the Capri Centre at #204 – 1835 Gordon Drive, (the mortgage division of Capri Insurance) has been presented with two 2006 Top Franchisee Awards by Centum Financial Group, including the #2 franchisee in Canada by number of mortgages and #3 franchisee in Canada by mortgage dollars. Several of Centum’s mortgage brokers, including Scott Peckford, Belle Sproule, Maury Dawson and Kelly Rowe were individually recognized as each being one of the top 25 mortgage brokers in Canada. The company is affiliated with Capri Insurance with its head office in Kelowna and six other offices in B.C. Their web-site www.lendingmax.ca offers individuals to apply for free online instant mortgage approval. Daryl French is the president of the company. Call 869-3816

Andre’s Audiotronics, owned and operated by Andre Blanleil at 2153 Springfield Road will be moving their store temporarily while doing a major renovation to the existing space. They will be moving the first week of April for three months to 1856 Spall Road (former Kondola’s Furniture location). The original space on Springfield will be expanded from 4,500 sq. ft. to 8,000 sq. ft. to incorporate a 2,700 sq. ft. mezzanine for office space. The whole building will be redone including a new roof and they hope to move back into the new premises by July 1. Andre is also building a new 6,000 sq. ft. store and 34,000 sq. ft. mall in Castlegar. He’s a busy man these days.

LPGA Pro Theresa McDermott, all the way from Scarborough, Ontario has joined the pro shop team at the Kelowna Golf and Country Club.

Garry Appleton, well-known security manager of Mission Hill Family Estate is moving on and will be the new security manager at UBCO starting April 2. He was with Mission Hill for four years.

Randy Werger, the Associate Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship at Okanagan College has been recognized by the national Canadian Home Builders Association for his exemplary work in promoting the association and furthering its educational goals. Werger has worked at Okanagan College for 16 years and was recognized with an “Award of Honour” for a non-builder. A past president of the CHBA, he has been instrumental in developing an award-winning program, the “Home For Learning” that sees construction trades students build a home in conjunction with an area builder. The profits from the home sale go toward scholarships, bursaries and equipment for the students. So far, the two completed projects have raised about $200,000.

Hair Stylist Terry Hoogewoonink formerly of Magi Cuts in Kelowna Crossing has decided to cross the bridge and is now at First Choice Hair Cutters at 120 – 2330 Highway 97S in Westbank (beside Tim Horton’s). Zsoka Komer is the manager of the shop. Call 768-6869.

Congratulations to Steve Tuck, president of the Okanagan College Foundation who is one of 44 British Columbians who have been recognized by the Provincial Government as individuals whose efforts have made their communities better. The announcement was made by the Premier and Keith Mitchell, chair of the B.C. Achievement Foundation.

Well-known trucking businessman, Rod Armour of Armour Aggregate has been hauling and delivering many types of landscape products around the valley for several years. He has just recently purchased a brand new International “Aggregate Express Blower” for his business. This is no ordinary hauling truck. Being the only one of its kind in the valley, the vehicle is massive and makes it possible to spread a wide variety of quality landscape products to any yard or business. It hauls bark mulches, planting soils, compost, potting soils, playground chips and livestock bedding. The vehicle carries 20 yards of product or less and has a hose, which looks like a fire hose, that spans up to 300 feet in 20 foot sections. Product can applied quickly and easily without effort, with even distribution, using less amounts to save time and money. It’s something else. Call Rod At 862-7671.

If you love to garden but hate to dump, this business will save you time and is perfect if you don’t have your own compost area. “Green Cycle Garden Bag Co.” owned and operated by Cindi Townsend is a gardening service for organic garden waste, with regular collection service or one time collection. This is how it works. The company places a huge 600 litre garden bag, complete with stand for you to put your “organic” garden waste in. When the bag is full, they collect it, dump it and return the bag for your use again You only pay when the bag is collected, which could be every two weeks, every four weeks or a one-time only pick-up for early spring cleaning. They collect organic recyclable garden waste only; no soil or branches larger than 8 cm around and no kitchen waste. It’s a great service for seniors or anyone that does not have a truck to haul the material to the dump. They will collect prunings, grass, weeds, and even Christmas trees that are cut up – just as long as it fits in the bag. This is Cindi’s second year in operation. Call 769-7071. www.greencyclebc.ca

Esteem Lingerie in the Westbank Town Centre at #35-2475 Dobbin Road, has brought in two new product lines, Lejaby and Exhale. Lejaby is a fine lingerie line out of France. Their bras are comfortable, well crafted and yet very beautiful. Exhale Yoga and Active Wear is a Canadian made high quality product. Their designs can be worn to work out or is classy enough for shopping and lunching with friends. The colours are vibrant and the cuts flatter any body shape. Esteem is also offering educations seminars on bra fitting. The entertaining and interactive seminars can be tailored for ladies groups of any size. “If it’s going to be that close to your heart, then it better fit” is their new slogan. Call Florenda Pickett, Lynn Hamson or Angela O’Brien at 768-0171.

Have you heard that Kelowna has healing rooms? “Kelowna Healing Rooms” is an international association with their head office based in Spokane. The association provides healing for anyone with prayer and is non-denominational. The meetings are every Thursday from 7-9pm at 2041 Harvey Avenue. Just drop in and find out for yourself. For more info call 765-1553 or kelownahealingrooms@telus.net

In their effort to expand to a “Business Improvement Area” the executive of the Uptown Rutland Business Association has created an Advisory Board consisting of a selection of Rutland business owners from a variety of businesses and from the pre-existing Rutland Business Association. Congratulations to new president C.A. Todd Sanderson. The board will consist of Dave Willoughby (Old Town Farm Market), Garry Benson (Benson Edwards LLP), Dave Yunker (Rosie’s Grape Stop), Joe Iafrancesco (Rutland property owner), Jennifer Warawa (Dreamscape Business Services), Joyce VanNorman (Hollywood Shoes), Wendy Nelson (Nelson & Associates), David Donaldson (MaxWell Realty) and two, as yet, un-named members from the Rutland Business Association. The first Board meeting to develop an action plan for the year is scheduled for Monday March 26. In addition there is a “Meet & Greet” is scheduled for March 27 at Edward Jones. The meet and greet is being hosted by URBA’s past president, Konrad Pimiskern. The association is looking for any and all volunteers that would be interested in volunteering on a committee should contact Todd Sanderson, C.A. at 491-7747 or email tsandersonca@shaw.ca.

Right in our own back yard! The Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Air Operations Section, a leader in aerial fire suppression EMS transportation and search and rescue operations, has chosen SkyTrac Systems at 200-170 Rutland Road N. for its fleet of ten multi-mission helicopters. Responsible for providing fire protection and life safety services to over four million people located throughout four thousand square miles of Los Angeles County, the Fire Department’s Air Operations helicopters operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. SkyTrac was the only one stop turn-key solution capable of providing the state-of-the-art automatic flight following and voice data connectivity necessary to support critical missions in the mountains and over the open ocean. Other Los Angeles public safety users use SkyTrac, so they knew they have a solid track record. Call 765-2393 www.skytrac.ca

Special thanks for Trevor Lutes, manager of Scotiabank, Orchard Place for his exceptional customer service in helping me out last week, even though it was a non-bank issue.

Allen F. Batchelar, Commandant of Commissionaires B.C. was the recipient of a citation for support and co-operation from the 243 Ogopogo Royal Canadian Air Squadron. Presenting the award at the Commissionaires Honours and Awards banquet at the Ramada Hotel was the Squadrons Commanding Officer Capt. Pamela Tetreault accompanied by Training Officer Lt. Carey Earl and Squadron Commander Flight Sergeant Rodney Earl. The commandant expressed appreciation on behalf of all Commissionaires and praised the participation and involvement as well as the historic relationship of the Air Cadet League of Canada, Department of National Defense and the Canadian Cadet movement as a whole.

We know spring is really here when the roads are spick and span. Dale Beaudry and the great staff of the City’s Transportation Division are cleaning our streets from now until April 7. They have ten sweepers cleaning a total of 1,513 lane kilometers. The City applied 6,540 cubic meters (8,553 cubic yards) of sand this past winter which is double the amount of sand that was applied the previous year. Lets all do our part to help the sweeping crews. Residents can sweep sand the debris from sidewalks and boulevards into the gutter. Watch for sweep cleaning signs in your area requesting no on-street parking. That way, the guys can work without interruption and our City becomes neat and clean.

The Regional Board has approved the appointment of new members tot the two advisory planning commissions on the Westside. Joining the Westside South APC will be Doug Findlater, Peter Borszcz and Leanne Spanza. Appointed to the Board to the Westside North APC are Michael Duggan and Joe Iafrancesco. All appointments are for a two year term.

The 6^th Annual Hike for Hospice in support of Hospice Palliative Care is Sunday, May 6 from 10am-2pm at Mission Creek Regional Park. This year’s Honourary Chair is T. J. from 101-5 SILK FM and co-chairs are Jan Woolsey and Kathy Korsakov. You can attend as an individual, family or join as a corporate team. The early bird registration for a draw prize is April 6. For more info call 763-5511

Quote of the week – The past always looks better than it was because it isn’t here. (Finley Peter Dunne)

Birthday of the week – Jim Ross, Byers Transport (March 23); Bryan Crandall (March 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)