Archives for June 6, 2017

BC’S MOBILE MEDICAL UNIT to Visit OLIVER

Quick Facts:

• The MMU is housed in a 16-metre tractor-trailer that expands to a 90-square-metre (1,000 square feet) flexible facility with up to six to eight patient treatment bays.
• The clinical capability of the MMU is flexible and can range from low acuity such as primary health care/outpatient clinics, to emergency/urgent level care, and/or highest acuity including critical care and emergency surgical care.
• A support trailer is stocked with up-to 72 hours’ worth of medical supplies, consumables and other equipment.
• For prolonged missions, the MMU can be connected to a hospital’s power system, city water and waste systems, but also has its own power, limited oxygen and water, and waste systems for self-sufficiency when required.

 

Oliver, BC – Media have been invited to join Interior Health staff and physicians to tour the province’s Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) during its upcoming deployment in Oliver, where the unit and team will be helping facilitate specialized training for local clinicians and stakeholders.

Come and learn how this advanced mobile medical facility can be deployed anywhere in the province when a disaster or emergency occurs or to support mass gathering events. The MMU has also been deployed to support planned hospital renovations and outpatient clinics.

 

Location:        South Okanagan General Hospital – 911 McKinney Rd

Date:               June 7, 2017  – Drive by and see your tax money at work

 

Picture above Penticton Marina

Premier Christy Clark is spending the day checking out the flooding situation along Okanagan Lake.

Penticton MLA Dan Ashton said she was visiting impacted neighbourhoods in Trout Creek and at the Red Wing Resort near Penticton.

Ashton said he’s been keeping the Premier4 updated about the situation in the South Okanagan and she volunteered to tour the area.

“She’s been getting briefed by municipal and regional representatives as well” Ashton said.

With files from Castanet

We want to let you know what’s happening at the SOCC right now, as well as our plans for the future.  You may know that Denise Blaskho recently left the Chamber to take a position with a local physiotherapy clinic.  We are sorry to see Denise go and wish her the very best.

Like many Chambers across the province, we are reimagining the our work at the SOCC, and identifying how we can best meet the needs of our members.

We have committed to focusing on the following areas:  business to business networking, supporting membership to fully leverage the benefits of chamber involvement, small business advocacy, education and training for membership to help you grow and strengthen your businesses, and business & economic development.

To assist us in the restructuring process, Board Secretary Veronica Vinge has stepped off the board temporarily to take a lead role in managing our changes.  Her credentials include many years of consulting with small businesses and non-profit organizations, including member-based associations.  Veronica is supporting our efforts to identify and implement a business model for the chamber that is effective, efficient and results oriented.

Veronica and S.O.C.C. president Brian Highley attended the BC Chamber AGM in Victoria May 25-27 to participate in the policy/advocacy process that flows to provincial and federal governments.  The theme of this year’s conference was The People Who Power BC.

The S.O.C.C. is in harmony with the BC Chamber of Commerce in that both are redefining what a modern business support organization looks like.  The BC Chamber has expressed that its sole purpose is to know what’s on BC’s mind. The S.O.C.C. is looking forward to engaging with its membership in a meaningful way in the weeks and months to come.  We are on a mission to better understand the needs of our members and grasp how we can better serve them.

Dozens of volunteers with the Okanagan Forest Task Force gathered up Postill Lake Road on June 3 to bear the brunt of others’ illegal dumping.

The weekend’s clean up brought the group’s 10-month total to 111,000 pounds of detrimental waste that is now where it should be – in the landfill.

111,000 pounds of scrap metal and nails and garbage and pollutants that selfish people left in the woods.

Organizer Kane Blake said that total number pains him.

“I feel sheer disgust,” said Blake. “That number is crazy in just 10 months. A lot of the sites we go to are constant dumping spots. People don’t seem to get it or care.

“We’ve all had a family pet, and when they’re sick or hurt we are their voice, we take them to the vet. Nobody is speaking up for the wildlife walking through the broken glass or the nails or getting tangled in Christmas lights dumped in the bush or volleyball nets. They suffer in silence.”

This past weekend more than 40 OFTF volunteers drove up Postill Lake Road for one of the group’s biggest cleanups yet.

With the help of several local business sponsors, the army of volunteers cleaned up more than 22,700 pounds of junk on June 3. 15,880 pounds of scrap metal and 6,834 pounds of garbage.

“We had such a fantastic turnout, I can’t thank everyone enough,” said Blake. “All of our volunteers are an army with a mission, it’s amazing.”

 Photo Credit: Dan Hodson

Pat McGinnis (Nelson) and Wade Lahaise (Ladysmith) get the green light at Richter Pass Motorplex in Osoyoos. These two were part of the Nostalgia Gasser special event.

Last weekend brought with it (finally!) weather that suits the slogan “Osoyoos, BC – Canada’s pocket desert”. Mother Nature let up with her rain storms, and the drag racers didn’t waste one second of the gorgeous weather.

Richter Pass Motorplex was packed to its boundaries with racers and fans alike. Wine Country Racing Association (WCRA) played host to nearly 80 drag racers and over 500 fans at the second event of their spring racing segment.

Pat McInnis from Nelson, BC organized a special events class, called Nostalgia Gassers, and the good-looking, high-wheeling group was added to the already bursting program.These drag cars styled after the 1960’s era gasser cars gave the youngsters a glimpse of drag racing’s roots, and took some of the more seasoned fans back to days-gone-by.

WCRA had a second special treat last weekend. Rookie announcer 13 year-old Lukas Doggett, from Osoyoos, picked up the mic and wowed the fans. This lad has attended almost every race that WCRA has put on, since he was 3 years old.  And, let me be the first to tell you that it shows. Doggett’s knowledge of the sport and of the cars made his time behind the mic really stellar.

Here’s a peek at who came out on top:

Sportsman Bracket

Osoyoos’ Glen Taylor cruised his 1990 Mustang to victory over Joel Medeiros’ (Surrey, BC) 1967 Chevrolet Nova.

Pro Bracket

The Pro Bracket was owned by the gentlemen from Enderby, BC this weekend. Jason Lutz, with his 1966 Ford Fairlane, took the victory over Rob Roell and his 1969 Plymouth Valient.

Super Pro

Oliver, BC’s  team known as DDK, with its three alternating drivers David Sabyan, Don Cachola and Ken Brown took the trophy for Super Pro in their 1978 Monte Carlo. Opponent Ron Peterson from Oroville, WA had his 1971 El Camino running great for driver Pete Shaw. Shaw is from Penticton, BC.

Bike/Sled

Dan Ofunkany might have zipped away with the bike/sled trophy with his 1999 Arctic Cat snowmobile, but rumours were flying that he’d spend Sunday night on the couch, beating Brenda Ofunkany and her 2005 Harley Davidson sportster. West Kelowna, BC’s husband/wife drag racing duo both had huge smiles as they left Richter Pass Motorplex.

Reaction Time

Two reaction time trophies were handed out at the end of the day, Sunday. Penticton’s Pete Shaw (1971 El Camino) cut a nice .504 starting light.

Oliver’s Clint Peterman (1979 Chevrolet Camaro) out-did the entire bunch with a PERFECT

.500 light. Peterman is one of the hard working volunteers that did double time this past weekend, working for both the Cactus Jalopies car club, as well as WCRA. Great job!

WCRA has one more race this spring, racing on Father’s Day, June 18. Grab Dad (and Mom too) and enjoy a day at the track. Gates open at 9 a.m. Racing starts around 11 a.m. Elimination round begins at 1 p.m. Concessions are available on site.

Visit www.winecountryracing.ca for more information

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship is proud to announce its first annual Wildlife Habitat Stewardship Awards. The wwards recognize landowners and volunteers who have made a significant contribution towards a collaborative stewardship project on their property or have championed projects on public lands.

OSS executive director Alyson Skinner says The Okanagan and Similkameen region has a rich diversity of habitats and wildlife, including some plant and animal species that are found nowhere else in the world.”

Wayne and Wendie Radies, Vernon; Wetland; Excavating and maintaining a wetland pond, including planting more than 1,000 native plants.
Gord and Steve Forbes, Oliver; Wetland; Planting along the Forbes Family trail.
Jim and Pat Linton, Oliver; Wetland; Creating Western painted turtle nesting beach.

Colorful Reflections on a “new” pond on Wilson Mountain Road – by John Chapman

Recent picture used as a banner – motorcycles at Area 27 – by Christine Hewitt

Large format picture
by Colleen Misner

Thanks to Shauna and Larry

TREE TALKS

The South wind knew he would have to tell them. He had been rustling through the greenery alongside the Hike and Bike Trail when he heard some humans talking in a very dispirited manner.  A hotel and parking lot were to be built on the adjacent land, which was home to many sheltering trees and verdant grasses. They would all be removed to make way for asphalt. This was to be the trees last living summer. They were to be murdered  in the Fall. Murdered! He blew the word to them. Their leaves rustled the news to each other.

 

“It can’t be true,” they were saying, as they nodded and swayed at each other.

“I’m afraid so,” said the one deferred to as the elder. He was a tall, mature Pine and they all listened to him.  “Yes, you have provided shade, shelter and beauty through the years but it seems this is to be lost in what the humans call progress.”

He told them of a town meeting, where many people spoke of other land and locations and should that have been a decided option, then they could have continued their green lives.

“But…but I’m only 50 years old and in excellent health,” lamented the stately Oak tree.

“I’m 60 years young,” said the giant Sycamore.

“What about me? queried the voluptuous Maple tree. Where will my yearly robins build their nests?  Shelter their young? Feed them from the fat worms now laying in the grasses below me? The grass will be gone.”

The Linden trees swayed and shook their leaves in dismay.

The Pine tree elder had found the squirrels pesky at times but he had been willing to share his bounty of cones. They would sometimes gnaw away sitting placidly on a branch. Other times, they would dash away with a cone in their mouth seeking a place to store this food for winter.  The elder sighed. With his imminent death, where would the squirrels go?  It was territorial out there in desert country. Large trees like him were few and far between. It had taken many years for him to stand this tall having started as a seedling. He hoped he would be spared the indignity of screaming when his limbs were hacked off before the final death cut which would topple him to the earth. Will the townsfolk hear any of our cries? Will we be missed later as heat rises from the scorched paved earth? Melodious bird song will not be heard again from this area. The elder pondered on these things. The other trees looked to him for guidance. They were all in the prime of their lives. What could they do?  There was only one hope. The Pine swayed and bowed his message to the waiting full canopy.

With one accord and their foliage shaking, they all lifted their leafy arms and prayed.