Archives for October 5, 2019

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Hey Bill – nice pave job!

2017   521 million dollars

2018  455 million dollars

2019  107 million dollars

ten year average for fire suppression is 242 million dollars

 

Kids went back to school last month but unfortunately there is still a gaping hole in the curriculum that they will be taught. Financial literacy is arguably the most important subject that needs to be taught to the next generation and yet it is still not part of the core curriculum.

Many teachers and even some school boards have taken this oversight upon themselves and at least attempted to offer some coursework in this area but it is definitely not enough. And until this changes, the responsibility for passing on these financial lessons lies with the parents and grandparents for now.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to dive a little deeper into the subject and provide some examples and advice on how you can start the conversations with your teenagers and keep the learning process rolling once you’ve begun.

Spending money is easier than ever now with online shopping and “one click” payments. With today’s teenagers more connected than in the past, the marketing and advertising of major clothing and electronic suppliers is continuously pushing them to spend more and more to establish their identity and assert their independence.

When you bring up money issues, teens may look at you like you’re from another planet but the truth is they really do want to learn more about personal finances; you just need to find the right way to bring the lessons up.

I am going to suggest that step one is to start with a budget. Everyone talks about budgets and how important they are but very few people actually do them. The first page should contain all sources of income, whether it’s tracked weekly or monthly.

Depending on their age, their income sources might include a part-time job, allowance and/or birthday and Christmas gifts. While you may be stretched thin yourself, a good sized allowance will help to formulate the base of many financial lessons and you can “recoup” some of the allowance money that you give out (more on this next time).

The second page of the budget should deal with expenses. Every penny that is spent should be tracked in the budget whether it’s spent on lunches, clothes, gifts or any number of other items. Just like adults, teens may be shocked to find out just how much they spend eating out or buying snacks over the course of a month.

At the end of each month, you should sit down with your teen and review their monthly budget and see what they have left. Hopefully there is some money left and now is the time to make a plan for the remaining balance. Are they saving up for their first car? Looking forward to a class trip out of town?

Set a goal and then work backwards to see how much needs to be saved each month to reach it. Discuss ways to trim the expense side of the budget to boost the amount leftover to put into savings.

When your teens hit college, they’ll be hounded by credit card companies and unless armed with knowledge, can quickly get into trouble with their first card. For step two, consider getting a joint credit card now with a very low limit so that you can teach them the basics of properly handling credit while they’re still at home.

In addition to a credit card, you should help them set up a bank account and a separate savings or investment account early on. Each of these three accounts will help your teen learn the basics of managing personal finances and when the statements come in, provide a great starting point for future lessons.

Attempting to teach financial literacy is an intimidating and often overwhelming project but if you don’t do it, who will? It is never too early to start and if you don’t feel comfortable or capable, consider enlisting some help from a family member, friend and/or your own financial planner.

Keep an eye out for the part 2 of this article, where I will further explain my allowance recovery idea mentioned above and discuss the next couple of steps to teaching your teenagers the financial lessons that they so desperately need.

 

This column is written by Michelle Weisheit CFP, IG Wealth Management and presents general information only and is not a solicitation to buy or sell any investments.  Please contact your own advisor for specific advice about your situation.

In 21st century Canada, Halloween means costumes, trick-or-treating, and lots of candy. But what was Halloween like a century ago?

The BC Provincial Police Station (now the Oliver Museum) was built in 1924. What costumes did the people of Oliver wear that year? What did they do to celebrate?

The Oliver & District Heritage Society is here to answer that question! Hint: there was a lot of orange and black.

Put on your costume and join us in celebrating Halloween while we take a trip back in time. This 1924 – style Halloween party will take place on Sunday, October 27th from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm at the Oliver Museum (474 School Avenue, Oliver, BC).

Try your hand at actual 1920s Halloween games and activities such as paper hat-making, ghost stories, fortune-telling, and more. This event is free and suitable for all ages. Don’t forget to visit our costume photographer to have your picture or your child’s picture taken in costume, enter a draw to win a door prize, and enjoy Halloween treats while you take in the decorations of 1924. For more information, please contact the Oliver & District Heritage Society at

250-498-4027 or email us at info@oliverheritage.ca.

Basic Questions of Life

I realize that some people rarely think about crucial philosophical issues in life. Yet, the 5 most frequently asked questions of life are probably like the 5 W’s of investigative journalism: who, what, when, where and why.

1. Where did I come from and how did I get here?
2. Why am I here?
3. What went wrong with this world?
4. Who is going to fix it?
5. When I die what happens to me?

I am personally convinced that the following are brief but good answers, although I know there are those who will disagree.

1. We have a Creator to believe in Who tells us we were designed and made by the One who owns the universe. He cares a lot about each one of us.
2. We have a cause to live for as we proclaim Jesus Christ to be the Way, the Truth and the Life. That’s Why we are here. This relationship leads to a joy-filled life because He wants us to live life to the full.
3. We have a creed to live by since He told us that to love God and people are the two most important principles of life. What’s wrong is that this is ignored by many.
4. We have a conscience to live with that can be cleared of guilt because there is forgiveness. This is foundational to spiritual and mental health. We also have a community to live in as we experience the support and fellowship of others and give the same to them. This is essential for relational health. Jesus is the One Who can fix this since He has paid the penalty for sin.
5. We have a consummation to look forward to When we die. We await the time when those who have put their trust in Him will be with the Lord forever.

The prospects are bright on the sunny side,

Henry Wiebe

By Val Friesen

On Friday evening, October 4th, the South Okanagan Concert Society launched their new season with an exceptional concert. Canadian/Israeli world-renowned cellist, Ofra Harnoy, accompanied by husband Mike Herriott (trumpet, flugelhorn and piano), and Kinza Tyrrell (piano) delivered an outstanding musical experience.

Harnoy moved to Canada from Israel when she was six, and made her first concert appearance when she was ten, and her Carnegie Hall debut when she was only 17. She’s a five-time Juno award winner, including for Instrumental Album of the Year, as well as winning many other prestigious awards.

No surprise, then, that to hear and see this internationally acclaimed artist is such a pleasure. Ofra Harnoy, with the support of her fine accompanists, was that gifted artist on Friday night who creates memorable music because of her profound understanding of it—some beautiful moments with a spectrum of tones.

The concert itself was cast in two very different modes—an initial presentation of classics featuring the cellist in the traditional concert style, and then a collaboration with her husband who spoke to us both literally and with his trumpet/flugelhorn.

For the first half, Harnoy chose timeless and perfect music from Baroque composers: sublime, melodic Bach (echoes of Jacqueline du Pré), soulful Corelli, and an unusual Telemann sonata pairing cello and flugelhorn. The set concluded with the 19th century Bohemian cellist David Popper’s sparkling “Hungarian Rhapsody” which brought the audience to life!

The second half was more a collaboration of instruments and styles where Harnoy was as often accompanist for her husband as featured soloist. The diverse repertoire included the much more familiar music of Gershwin (jazzy trumpet captured “Summertime’s” Catfish Row setting), then Fritz Kreisler’s pure magic “Liebesleid”—a showpiece for Harnoy’s sensitive artistry.

But it was during the three Lennon & McCartney pieces that the mood really changed when husband Mike Herriott took the microphone and loosened up the evening with homey remarks to introduce each of the pieces that followed that the audience became much more responsive to the performance. A wonderful, plaintive composition by Newfoundland troubadour Otto Kelland took us there; a piece composed by Herriott about his departed dog was a beautiful collaborative work for cello, piano and trumpet; Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose,” also scored for the three musicians, was evocative and soulful. The evening ended with Bernstein’s “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide. It was music from the heart to the heart.

It was such a treat to just sit back with fellow music lovers and be transported by this beautiful music in our fabulous Venables Theatre, and the standing ovation spoke for itself. Okay, not quite, because in all honesty, I know that I’m not alone in wishing that there had been much more Ofra Harnoy from her 37 recorded albums, or even maybe just one encore drawn from the vast unaccompanied cello literature.

But let me not appear unappreciative, so thank you, Ofra Harnoy, for sharing your magnificent gift with us. Please come back soon! And thank you, South Okanagan Concert Society and your sponsors for your dedication to bringing such superb artists to enhance the cultural life of our grateful community. Bravos to everyone for this outstanding opening of your new season!

Photo source: Harnoy facebook page