Hockey tournament
The Thompson Cariboo Minor Hockey Association is hosting an Atom division minor hockey tournament at the Drylands Arena in Ashcroft from Friday, March 17 to Sunday, March 19. It’s the last event of the season at the arena, so come on down, enjoy the concession, and cheer on the players.
Community Gaming Grant workshop
Representatives of any local organizations that are considering applying for a Community Gaming Grant from the province of B.C. are encouraged to attend a free workshop on Saturday, March 18 from 9 a.m. to noon at St. Alban’s Church Hall in Ashcroft.
Organizations from six areas (Arts and Culture, Sport, Parent Advisory Councils, Public Safety, Environment, and Human and Social Services) can make applications during specified periods throughout the year. The workshop will be led by David Sheach, the executive director of the BC Association for Charitable Gaming, and will review the eligibility requirements, program description and details, financials, in kind and volunteer support, and other key considerations for a successful Community Gaming Grant application.
Anyone interested in attending should RSVP to ExecutiveDirector@bcacg.com.
Dry grad
B.C. liquor stores are once again running their “Support Dry Grad” campaign at outlets throughout the province. Chocolates are being sold in stores for $1 each, and all proceeds raised at each store go to schools in that community. The initiative raises funds for schools to host safe, alcohol-free celebration events for graduating high school students.
Last year’s campaign raised almost $365,000 around the province. This year’s event runs until March 31.
Free waste disposal and household hazardous waste round-up
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) will be offering free waste disposal at eco-depots and transfer stations around the region starting in early April. Residents may bring one free load per household on event day, and save money on materials that normally attract a disposal fee. A load is defined as a maximum of one 8-foot pick-up truck box or one 8-foot trailer.
The dates for the free waste disposal are April 9 (Savona); April 22 (Lytton, Clinton, Cache Creek, and Loon Lake); April 23 (Spences Bridge); and May 6 (Logan Lake).
On Saturday, April 22 the TNRD will also be holding a household hazardous waste round-up at the Cache Creek transfer station. Ashcroft and Cache Creek residents can take any material labelled corrosive, poisonous, ignitable, or toxic to the transfer station and dispose of it at no charge.
For more details go to www.tnrd.ca, and watch for more information in The Journal.
Gold Country Communities Society
The GCCS has been asked, by geocaching.com, if the organization is interested in adding another eight permanent geocaches to the 142 existing ones, to bring the total number up to 150 to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary. Terri Hadwin, chief operating officer of GCCS, said that while the organization does not have the funds or human resources to create eight new geocaches, it will look at obtaining funding and volunteer help. TNRD directors Ronaye Elliott (Area “J”) and Randy Murray (Area “M”) have expressed interest in providing funding.
The Journal has previously reported on the interest of GCCS in having the popular “Bead Trails” program from the Okanagan expand into our region (“Workshop planned for local event coordinators”, January 19, 2017). The people behind Bead Trails are actively interested in such an expansion, and GCCS will create a Gold Country bead and work with the organization to create interest among local businesses in creating their own beads and becoming part of the program.
For more information about Bead Trails, go to https://beadtrails.com/.
The bead for Wild Goose Winery in Okanagan Falls. Photo courtesy Bead Trails.
More bathroom bouquets
Further to a report in The Journal about praise received for the public washrooms in Clinton (“Grateful visitors thank Village of Clinton”, November 17, 2016), the village has received even more praise for their facilities. On February 24, 2017 a grateful traveller emailed the village, saying “I am writing to thank you for the public restrooms provided by the Village. We often make use of them on our frequent travels through Clinton and always find them in very clean condition, well supplied and nicely heated.
“Please pass on our thanks and appreciation to the relevant person(s) responsible for maintaining and providing the restrooms. They are doing a great job!”
Funky flowerpots
The Clinton Communities in Bloom Society is planning on bringing back its popular and eclectic “Funky Flowerpots” event this summer, with residents and businesses encouraged to move away from traditional planters and instead plant displays in whatever weird, wonderful, or unexpected containers they can find or dream up. Advertising will start as weather permits, so watch Susan Swan’s column for details.
Funky flowerpots - like this one from the 2015 program - are coming back to Clinton. Photo by Susan Swan.
Changes to Clinton’s community garden
There are new guidelines for users of the popular community garden in Clinton. These will be ready for distribution when the weather changes and rentals at the garden start.
Walhachin Museum fundraiser
The non-profit Friends of Walhachin society has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser for the Walhachin Museum, located in the historic Soldiers Memorial Hall. The society is trying to raise $3,000 to enable them to hire a worker or student from May to October to allow the museum to stay open during the tourist season. To donate, go to https://www.gofundme.com/3hs9etk.
Kamloops Arts Council grants
Area artists and arts groups are invited to submit an application for funding for the Kamloops Arts Council’s (KAC) spring grants cycle. Grants to a maximum of $1,000 may be awarded to artists and arts groups that are members of the KAC.
The grants are primarily awarded to assist local artists and arts organizations to promote their art or further their education. Applications must fall under either professional development (for example, apply for a conference or workshop) or community development (such as apply to produce an event that will benefit the community).
The deadline for applications is April 1. For more information go to www.kamloopsarts.ca.
Collector vehicle program expands
Beginning on March 30, 2017, ICBC’s collector vehicle program will expand to include a wider range of vehicles. The cut-off for the program until now has been cars built in 1958 or earlier; but the expansion means that owners of vehicles built in 1974 or earlier can apply. This includes the era of the “muscle cars”, such as the little Deuce Coupe about which the Beach Boys sang.
“Many collector vehicle owners are from rural parts of B.C., and this opens up new opportunities for them to join the very popular collector vehicle program,” says Donna Barnett, Minister of State for Rural Economic Development. “This inclusion of more car eras helps to expand the horizons of the collector car industry in B.C.”
Approved vehicles will have their collector plates issued after June 30, 2017. For more information go to www.icbc.com.