Anonymous Art Show
It’s back! The Ashcroft HUB’s Anonymous Art Show has returned for another year, giving artists of all age levels and abilities the opportunity to create original artwork, which is then auctioned off to benefit the HUB.
Canvases (10” by 10”) are $5 each, and available now from the Ashcroft HUB. Completed work must be returned by Friday, Feb. 14, and bidding will run from Feb. 18–28. Works will be displayed in the HUB gym, and online on the Ashcroft Hub Facebook page, where bids can be accepted. For more information, contact the HUB at (250) 453-9177 or email ashcrofthub@gmail.com.
Loon Lake pie fundraiser
The Loon Lake Community Recreational and Agricultural Society’s popular meat pie fundraiser has returned, offering 5” homemade beef pot pies for $7 each. The pies are ready for the oven, and the last batch sold out in 48 hours, so get your order in fast.
You can order online at www.loonlakecommunity.ca, or by phone at (604) 789-4091. Pies are available until inventory is gone, and will be available for pick-up from 2 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 14 and 15 (Family Day long weekend). Local deliveries can be made by special arrangement.
Suddenly One
The Suddenly One: Building Connections program has returned, and takes place every other Thursday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Ashcroft Library (private meeting room at the back). The next meeting will be on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Suddenly One is for men and women of all ages who suddenly find themselves alone. The event will feature coffee, tea, and conversation, with people able to share their thoughts, stories, and experiences surrounding loss and living alone. There is no agenda; topics and activities are up to the participants, all in an accessible, respectful, and confidential space.
There is no cost to take part, and participants can attend as many or as few sessions as they would like. For more information, email ashcroft.hospice@gmail.com.
Firearms course
Ken Brown is holding a Non-Restricted Firearms PAL course in Ashcroft on Jan. 25–26. Anyone interested in obtaining their firearms licence can call Brown at (250) 453-9415; evenings are best, and he does not have a cellphone, so please do not message him, as he will not get your message.
Babysitters’ course
The Ashcroft HUB is holding a one-day babysitters’ course from 9:30 to 3 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 27 (a non-instructional day in SD74). Participants must be at least 12 years old and able to read and write on their own, and the cost is $125 per person.
You can register at https://wkf.ms/4fMh2LY; for more information contact the HUB at (250) 453-9177 or email ashcrofthub@gmail.com.
Family Literacy week
A wide variety of free events will be taking place in Ashcroft and Cache Creek as part of Family Literacy Week. Children and adults can pick up a colouring page from the Ashcroft HUB and return it by Friday, Jan. 31; there are three prize packs for kids and three for adults to be won.
Events run from Monday, Jan. 27 to Friday, Jan. 31 and include chair yoga and family fitness at the HUB (Jan. 27), Youth Book Club (Ashcroft Library) and Lego night at the HUB (Jan. 28), an open house featuring crafts, games, puppet play and more, plus a Space Tomatoes session where you can plant tomatoes that have been to space (HUB, Jan. 29), a teddy bear picnic and story time at the HUB (Jan. 30), and family games and puzzles at the Cache Creek Community Hall and family movie night at the HUB (Jan. 31). For more information, visit the Ashcroft HUB Facebook page.
KEG lecture series
As part of its 2025 Hybrid Lecture Series, the Kamloops Exploration Group will be holding an online (Zoom) lecture on Thursday, Jan. 30. All are invited to listen to Dr. John Clague talk about “Landslides Into Lakes and River Valleys in B.C.: An Unappreciated Hazard”.
The Chilcotin River landslide in July 2024 will be one of several such events discussed by Clague, who will review the dangers that they pose to communities located along rivers and some lakeshores in B.C. The free lecture starts at 7 p.m., and will be followed by a question-and-answer session. For more information, go to www.keg.bc.ca.
Kamloops Film Festival
Get ready for the 29th annual Kamloops Film Festival, taking place from March 6–15 at the Paramount Theatre in Kamloops. The festival will feature a captivating line-up of award-winning films from around the world in a variety of genres, including documentaries, comedies, dramas, and Canadian films. The event will also include the Kamloops Independent Short Shorts (KISS) Film Fest, a celebration of the short film format and local filmmakers.
For more information, including how to submit a film to KISS, go to www.thekfs.ca.
School’s Out at the HUB
Looking for something for kids to do after school from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday? Register them for the free School’s Out program at the Ashcroft HUB, which is for children aged 5 through 12 and features crafts, science, physical activities, and more.
Go to https://wkf.ms/487QNx5 to sign your kids up for at least two days of the program. For more information, contact the HUB.
Clinton walking sessions
Anyone who wants to do some walking but doesn’t want to brave the cold and ice can walk indoors at the Clinton Memorial Hall every Monday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon. All adults of any ability are welcome; just make sure to bring a pair of clean, dry shoes in which to walk. If you have a walking stick, cane, wheelchair, or walker, someone will clean it off for you. Drop in for as little or long as you like and enjoy some exercise, or just visit for a spell.
Adult badminton
Badminton season is well underway, with free drop-in sessions taking place every Thursday, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at the Cache Creek Community Hall. Adults from throughout the region are welcome to attend; for more information call (250) 457-9164.
Adult recreational volleyball
All are welcome to drop by the Skeetchestn Community School gym (273 Angel Road) on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. for adult recreational volleyball (youth aged 16 to 18 can join if accompanied by an adult). The sessions run until March 25, so come play and have some fun!
Fuel management
The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) is conducting a fuel management project at the Lindley Creek Road area, approximately 3.5 kilometres west of the City of Merritt. BCWS crews will be working to burn approximately 20 piles from now through to the end of February. This project is taking place in conjunction with the Cascades Resource District for wildfire risk reduction purposes.
Smoke from piles may be visible to residents from the City of Merritt and surrounding communities, and to travellers on area roads. Pile burning will only proceed if conditions are favourable, and BCWS personnel will carefully prepare, control, and monitor these piles at all times.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation, please call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free, or *5555 on a cell phone.
BC Parks reservations
Campsites in many BC Parks can now be reserved in advance of the spring camping season and the May long weekend. Campsites can be reserved up to four months in advance of the desired arrival date, although BC Parks notes that of the 10,700 campsites it manages, half are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
A list of park operating dates and campgrounds that accept reservations is available at https://bit.ly/40fShlp.