PAC fundraiser
The Cache Creek Elementary School Parent Advisory Council is holding its second annual Auction and Turkey Dinner fundraiser on Saturday, February 25 at the Cache Creek Community Hall. The doors open at 5 p.m. for a preview of the items being auctioned, and dinner is served at 6 p.m. Tickets for the adults-only event are $20 each, and are available at Cheryl’s Place (Petro-Canada) or at Cache Creek Elementary.
In addition to dinner and dozens of auction items, there will be door prizes, a 50/50 draw, and music provided by DJ Tom Moe. All proceeds from the event will go to benefit Cache Creek Elementary School and its students.
Heritage event
The Village of Ashcroft is holding its annual Heritage Event on Sunday, February 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Community Hall on Bancroft Street. In addition to hearing about some of the earliest days and people of the town from museum curator Kathy Paulos and councillors Barbara Roden and Helen Kormendy, attendees will be able to find out more about First Nations baskets from Lytton’s John Haugen, and pioneer clothing from Historic Hat Creek’s Chris Linton.
There is no charge for the event. Refreshments will be provided.
TRU courses
Thompson Rivers University is running a Small Engine Repair course in Ashcroft at the HUB from February 24 to 26 (Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Do you have to pull the starter cord on your weed-eater or chainsaw until your arm is rubber? Do you need to remove the air filter on your lawnmower before it will start? Does your fishing boat motor sputter and die the first time on the water? Do you know what the repair people are talking about when they do a tune-up on your tiller in the spring? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be interested in the Small Engine Repair course.
The fee is $275 (plus supplies), and participants must bring a small engine (chainsaw, lawn mower, etc.).
TRU is also offering a Business Communications 1 course at its Lillooet site starting on Monday, February 27. The course runs on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m. through April 5.
The course provides a comprehensive, up-to-date, and relevant review of the use of correct English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and writing skills, with participants applying the principles learned in each segment of the course, and reinforcing their skills through exercises, assignments, and tests. It will be followed by a companion course, Business Communications 2, starting on April 10. The fee for each course is $225 plus the cost of the textbook. For more information about these, or any other, TRU courses, contact Margaret Hohner at (250) 256-4296.
Art Exposed
More than 140 area artists in a wide variety of media, and ranging in age from youth to seniors, will be taking part in Kamloops Arts Council’s Art Exposed Regional Exhibition beginning on Friday, March 3 and running through March 11. The event kicks off with an opening reception at the Old Courthouse Cultural Centre on Seymour Street in Kamloops from 5 to 8 p.m. All are welcome to attend the reception, which features wine tastings by Monte Creek Ranch Winery, and the presentation of awards at 6:30 p.m.
Dozens of paintings, sculptures, and more will be for sale, from emerging and established artists. A People’s Choice and Artist’s Choice award will be presented at the end of the exhibition.
For more information go to www.kamloopsarts.ca.
Campaign office open house
Fraser-Nicola Liberal MLA will be having a grand opening of her Ashcroft campaign office on Saturday, March 4 from 10 a.m. until noon, and community members are invited to drop by the office at 310A Railway Avenue to meet with Tegart and her team of volunteers. Once open, the office can be reached by phone at (250) 453-9999.
Stress management seminar
Adventist Health and Wellness is offering another free seminar that is open to all. “Realistic Help Reorganizing Life and Restoring Joy” offers stress solutions for healing from grief, loss, guilt, and depression. Conducted by stress management and burnout coach Cameron Johnston, the seminar highlights resolving grief from major losses such as death, divorce, or the loss of a job, with participants discovering the process of recovery. The seminar will be held at the Ashcroft Community Hall on Bancroft Street from 2 to 4 p.m.
Walhaschindig
The first Walhaschindig, in May 2016, was such a success that a second event is being planned for Saturday, May 13 at the Walhachin Soldiers Memorial Hall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The day will feature artists and artisans, music, face painting, and food and drink concessions from a number of local groups and restaurants. Admission and table rentals are by donation, with all funds going to support the work of the Walhachin museum and the preservation of the history of the community.
Any musicians, entertainers, and artisans who would like to reserve a spot can email friends@walhachin.net or call Assu Nydam at (250) 318-6100.
White Nose Syndrome
Members of the public are being asked to be on the lookout for signs of White Nose Syndrome, an invasive fungal disease that affects bats. The disease name refers to a white fungus that grows on the muzzles or bodies of infected bats.
The disease has not yet been detected in British Columbia, but it was found in Washington State for the first time in 2016, and the risk of its arrival here is very high. The disease kills 80 to 100 per cent of Little Brown and Northern Bats, and since its arrival in the eastern United States in 2006 has killed more than 6 million bats.
The province is responding to the risk of White Nose Syndrome by increasing surveillance and outreach. Bats are important to the environment and the economy. They are major predators of invertebrates, helping to control forest, agriculture, and urban pests (endangered Little Brown Bats can eat 600 mosquitoes per hour), and researchers estimate that bats provide billions of dollars’-worth of pest control services in North America each year.
If you find a sick or injured bat, do not attempt to rescue it or touch it. Do not touch dead bats with your bare hands because of the risk of rabies; instead, using a pair of thick gloves, place the dead bat in a plastic bag, label it with the date, location, and your name and contact information, and place it in the freezer. Report any sick, injured, or dead bats by contacting the BC Community Bat Program at 1-800-922-2287 or email info@bcbats.ca.