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Local News Briefs: An Ashcroft garden tour is coming up

Plus free workshops, highway news, fiesta fun, CCES students share their stories, and more
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Thanks to the Ashcroft Communities in Bloom committee and the Ashcroft-Cache Creek Rotary Club, there will be a graden tour of Ashcroft on Saturday, June 22.

Sharing Our Story

Local residents are invited to attend the “Sharing Our Story” exhibition at Cache Creek Elementary School from 2 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18.

The exhibition will allow members of the community to meet students and teachers and see what students have learned throughout the year. Dinner will be served at 5 p.m., so come down and celebrate the work of the CCES students.

The Healer and the Dreamer

Look into the astrology of our changing times with astrologer Martin Comtois when “The Healer and the Dreamer” comes to UniTea Café and Lounge in Ashcroft on Tuesday, June 18 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

The evening will feature an in-depth look at the Sagittarius full moon, the Summer Solstice, and the upcoming lunar and solar eclipses. Participants will gain clarity about the changing times and insight into the dynamic that informs astrology. There will also be a look at the prominent astrological alignments that have been mirroring the intense times we have been living through, and ways to prepare for the coming times.

The cost is $20 per person, and tickets can be reserved by calling UniTea at (250) 457-1145.

Secwepemctsín workshop

The Thompson-Nicola Regional Library invites everyone to attend a workshop where they can learn about the history and current state of Secwepemctsín, the language of the Secwépemc (Shuswap).

The workshop will be held in the Kamloops Library on Victoria Street at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19. It will be led by Ted Gottfriedson, Language and Culture Department Manager for the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc. He is a Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc member who has been an avid learner of his language for 25 years, and recently earned a Master of Arts in Linguistics from Simon Fraser University.

This workshop is free and open for all to attend, but registration is recommended. For more information, or to register, contact Margo Schiller, Manager of Kamloops Libraries and Engagement, by phone at (250) 372-5145 or email mschiller@tnrd.ca.

Business Plan workshop

Community Futures, in partnership with Thompson Rivers University, is facilitating a Business Plan workshop, which will be in Ashcroft on June 19. The workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will provide participants with the tools necessary to complete a comprehensive business plan, whether you are just starting out or are an existing business that wants to diversify your products or services.

There is no charge to attend the workshop. To register, go to https://www.tru.ca/regionalcentres/register.html.

Aboriginal Day celebrations

All community members are invited to celebrate National Aboriginal Day with the Ashcroft Indian Band on Friday, June 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students from Desert Sands Community School and Cache Creek Elementary will be on hand at the open house, which will showcase different events, activities, and projects underway in the AIB community.

There will be hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, and other refreshments. The cost is $5 per person (no charge for Band members).

Ashcroft garden tour

Many people have asked the Ashcroft Communities in Bloom committee if it would consider hosting a garden tour in Ashcroft; so, with the help of the Ashcroft/Cache Creek Rotary Club, Ashcroft CiB is pleased to present a Garden Tour on Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Ten local residences will be featured in the event, which will also see guest appearances of art created by members of the Ashcroft Art Club. The gardens will range from small to large and will showcase a variety of landscaping styles. Several of the gardens will feature ponds or other water features, and visitors will be able to see how each homeowner has enhanced their yard with their own flair.

There will be no ticket fee, but visitors are encouraged to make a donation at one of the “donation vases” which will be set up in each yard. The donations will be used to make improvements in the community.

Garden Tour maps/brochures can be picked up at any of the following locations: Ashcroft Bakery, Easy Stop, the HUB, Ashcroft Home Hardware, and Desert Hills Ranch.

The CiB committee looks forward to seeing you at this exciting community event!

CiB judge passes away

Longtime volunteer Communities in Bloom judge Ted Zarudny passed away earlier this year. He was a judge from 2009 to 2016, and visited Ashcroft twice in that time: in 2013, when the Village won a national CiB title, and again in 2016, his final year of judging.

Zarudny was formerly a parks manager for the city of Brampton, Ontario. As a CiB judge he evaluated communities across Canada and in Europe, and was described as the epitome of the true “good guy” who was always happy to share his knowledge and expertise or take on extra duties.

During his 2016 visit to Ashcroft, Zarudny was greatly impressed by the improvements he saw in the community since his previous visit in 2013. “I’ve seen the progression through the years, the changes, and the community involvement.”

Walk to End ALS

The Walk to End ALS is the largest volunteer-led fundraiser for ALS Societies across Canada. Family-friendly and fun, it unites Canadians in their desire to put an end to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This event shows support for the 3,000 Canadians and their families living with the disease, 400 of whom are living in British Columbia.

Among the 15 walks taking place across B.C is the Kamloops Walk on Saturday, June 22 at Riverside Park. There will be a pancake breakfast (donated by Dominion Macklem Mortgages) at 8 a.m., with registration at 9 a.m. and the walk at 10 a.m.

Proceeds from the Walk to End ALS go to the ALS Society of BC to provide patient services programs for people living with ALS in BC, and to the ALS Canada Research Program to strive toward a world without ALS.

Register or donate today at walktoendals.ca.

Fiesta fun

Come down to the old Sam’s Diner location on Railway Avenue in Ashcroft on Sunday, June 23 for a Mexican Fiesta Potluck Party. The event starts at 6:30 p.m., so bring your own plates, cups, utensils, chairs, and refreshments to this free event where all are welcome.

Paint Night

Come on out to UniTea Café and Lounge from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 27 and create a painting of Ashcroft. No experience is necessary, and all supplies, as well as step-by-step instructions, will be provided.

Twenty people are needed in order for the event to go ahead. Tickets are $35 each; register by going to www.emptycanvasparty.ca or call (250) 457-1145. Every ticket purchased enters you in a draw for prizes, including a trip for two to Las Vegas.

Community Futures AGM

Community Futures Sun Country is holding its AGM on Thursday, June 27 starting at 4 p.m. at Hanky’s Family Restaurant (821 6th Avenue, Hope). For more information, contact the Sun Country office at (250) 453-9165.

Single lane traffic on Highway 99 near Pavilion

From now until June 22, Dawson Road Maintenance (formerly Interior Roads) will be performing maintenance activities on the Pavilion Overhead on Highway 99 between Lillooet and Pavilion. The highway will be reduced to single lane alternating traffic, with traffic control on site 24 hours a day until the work is complete.

Delays will be kept to a minimum, but may be up to 20 minutes. Emergency vehicles will have immediate access, and school buses will be accommodated as soon as safely possible.

Changes will be updated on DriveBC (www.drivebc.ca) and Dawson’s social media sites.

Calling all Weed Warriors

The Thompson-Nicola Invasive Plant Management Committee (TNIPMC) is calling all Invasive Plant Warriors to pull together to wage war on invasive plants.

The 2019 Weed Warrior Challenge encourages community organizations and groups to become local stewards by controlling invasive plants at a high priority invasive plant site. The group that pulls the most bags of weeds will win a $250 honorarium that will go towards that group’s programs and initiatives.

Any interested community organization or group can become involved. Groups include sports teams, youth clubs, non-profit societies, community service groups, church groups, etc. It’s a wonderful way to promote stewardship, encourage a family activity, and raise money for your community group.

Each group would make a three-hour commitment for the event, at any day or time that is convenient and at a location that is pre-approved by the TNIPMC. The three hours includes an introduction to invasive plants, pulling weeds, and a refreshment break.

A registration form can be found online at http://bit.ly/2F0WFMv.

Rural Biz Connect

Rural Biz Connect has launched a survey to explore whether there is interest in establishing a rural business owners group. The group would connect online for the purpose of peer to peer advisory and support, business training, and a monthly 90-minute one-to-one business coaching session.

The intention is to connect rural business owners from a region with each other so they can share challenges and successes, build a strong support network, decrease isolation, and brainstorm new and innovative solutions.

Such groups can be found in larger centres, where members meet face-to-face. However, that is neither feasible nor practical for rural business owners, leaving them unable to participate and reap the tremendous benefits from such groups. Rural Biz Connect would fill that void.

The survey—which closes on June 30, 2019—will take about five minutes to complete. Feedback is appreciated, and will be used to inform a pilot project. To access the survey, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HLCLT59.

Buckle Up to help 4-H clubs

June marks the start of summer, and also means that 4-H BC is halfway through its fundraising year. Thanks to the efforts of the Great Canadian Giving Challenge, for every dollar donated to 4-H in the month of June there is an opportunity to win $10,000 for 4-H BC.

In order to improve their chances of winning, the “Buckle Up for 4-H” Challenge has been launched. Inspired by Jeans Days across the country, 4-H BC has put their own twist on the challenge by asking people to wear a belt buckle to work on June 27 and June 28.

People can volunteer to coordinate a “Buckle Up for 4-H” campaign at their office or workplace, then collect donations from colleagues and donate the funds raised before June 30, to help the chance of winning $10,000. If you have any questions about how to participate, contact Belinda at the 4-H BC office at funddevelopment@bc4h.bc.ca or (250) 545-0336.

Donations—either from the Buckle Up for 4-H campaign or from individuals—can be made at www.canadahelps.org/en/gcgc/42342.



editorial@accjournal.ca

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