Straight From DeHart – Oct. 7, 2020

This week’s column is dedicated to long-time friend Gertrude (Trudi) Ringer, a resident of Wedgewood.  At 88, Trudi was a ball of fun and was often seen on her scooter. Trudi never missed an opportunity to be with friends, dance or frequent the German Club. Personal condolences to her entire family and many friends.

If the stress of 2020 has tied knots in your back and muscles, relief is only a call away. Moxness Massage, owned and operated by Kirsten Moxness has opened at Unit J – 2009 Enterprise Way in the same location as Tan On Studios, with the entrance on Hardy Street. Relocating to Kelowna with her husband Paul in 2018, Kirsten has 30 years of international experience. After a three year education in Denmark graduating as a rhythmic and relaxation therapist, she specialized in therapeutic massage. The company she founded in Copenhagen in 1993 grew to one of the largest in Denmark. In 2007 she moved to Belgium and in Brussels, Kirsten became a sought after massage therapist in a large exclusive spa and sports club. Kirsten offers deep tissue massage that uses the multiple techniques she is trained in. Her experience allows her to specifically tailor treatment to target the muscles that the individual client will benefit most from. I have had the pleasure of a massage from Kirsten and it was fabulous. To book or for more information contact Kirsten at [email protected] or text 250-801-7532.

Kelowna Capital News/Black Press Media have two new Multi Media Marketing Consultants. Roxanne Mackintosh has relocated from Alberta where she worked in the newspaper and digital media world with Postmedia. Farah Sunderji was born in Kamloops but grew up in Vancouver where her parents built their legacy of Yaletown Interiors/Ember Indian Kitchen. She relocated to Kelowna this year. Roxanne.mackintosh@kelownacapnews.comfarah.sunderji@kelownacapnews.com;

The Okanagan Xeriscape Association (OXA) has had to scrap plans for a celebration of their 10th anniversary of its Xeriscape Demonstration Garden. Located in front of the H2O Aquatic Centre, it was named the UnH2O Garden by OXA founders Gwen Steele and Lisa Masini who created the garden in cooperation with the City of Kelowna, volunteers, Ministry of Environment, nurseries, Okanagan Basin Water Board and the landscape industry. The garden illustrates the year-round beauty that can be achieved while conserving water used on outdoor landscapes by use of drought-tolerant, often native plants. Gwen retired last year and the new executive director is Sigrie Kendrick who writes the Gardening With Nature column for Black Press papers. www.okanaganxeriscape.org

High school teacher Stacey Galigan has opened Twice The Dice Board Game Café at 575 Bernard Avenue. This unique funky café has over 800 games that live at the café. Customers pay a $5.00 stay and play fee and stay and play as many games as they wish for as long as they want. The café has a casual style menu which includes salad, soups (starting soon); build your own sandwiches, various finger foods, candy bags and popcorn. They are known for their delicious milkshakes and their variety of barista inspired specialty coffees, along with being fully licensed with local options. They offer a retail section that includes new and gently used games and their prices are competitive, including a free stay and play with your purchase.  Stacey and her team, which includes some of her former students, meet all the standards and COVID protocols required from IHA. The tables only seat a maximum of six. Open Monday to Friday at 4:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Follow on Instagram, Facebook and Google.

 

The Canadian Home Builders’ Association Central Okanagan (CHBA CO) has a new Board of Directors for 2020/21. Congratulations to Cassidy DeVeer, President of the Association and 3rd Generation Homes. The new board consists of Darren Witt, Vice President; Tyler Krenz, Treasurer and Mark Danielson, Presidential Appointee. Returning to the board are Chuck Cullen, Krista Paine, Sherri Paiement and Ranvir Nahal. New board members are Andrea Eichberger, Kendra Dunn, Michael Chatham and Sandy Morris. www.chbaco.com

Now in business for 9 years, Peter Lewis of P. Lewis Construction wanted to be a carpenter since he was very young and received his Red Seal Carpenter ticket at age 21. A few years later, he constructed his own green self-efficient, off the grid home and then figured these options should be available to the public. At 25, Peter became a registered builder and started his first construction company, P. Lewis Construction (PLC) and developed it slightly different from the average building company. The company offers green building at an affordable price and commonly constructs homes with newer energy saving products. The company also has a framing and foundation division with several crew members who also assist other builders with various projects. Seeing the demand for multi-family buildings, Peter started a secondary company called Okanagan Prefab Corp. (OPC) which specializes in prefabricated wall panels for large multi-family developments. The panels are constructed in their commercial yard in West Kelowna and shipped to the sites. The framing crews erect the buildings onsite. www.plewisconstruction.com or www.plewisconstruction.com/okanagan-prefab-corp.asp

After 33 years in business in the same location at 2821 Pandosy Street, Adriaan and Gwen Boek have sold their well-known Ducky Down Downquilts and are retiring. New owners, Tony and Tal Laurie, who have been in Kelowna for four years, will continue the Boek’s legacy and have been training for the past three months. Ducky Down offers custom made down duvets and pillows, servicing them as well by washing and filling or recovering duvets or pillows. Tony and Tal will be bringing in new products, but will continue being a Tempur-Pedic pressure relieving pillow and mattress dealer. Ducky Down also imports 100% cotton from France for quilt covers, bed linens and pillow cases. Other products offered are Pro-Pil-O neck support pillows, Canadian made buckwheat pillows, duvet and duvet covers, SnugSleep products and Bamboo duvet covers, pillows and sheets and tea cozies. Open Tuesday to Saturday. www.duckydown.com

The Okanagan Fall Classic Golf Tournament has marked its 21st year with 28 friends and business associates getting together to play golf in the Okanagan. This year was extra special in that three new local co-organizers, Grant Hewitt, Grant Cooper and Brian Komar took over the reins from founder Tom Light who has been the organizer for the past 20 years. In addition, they put together several fund raising activities in support of the Kelowna Food Bank. With the support of local businesses including Summerhill Pyramid Winery and Maxogram Media, they raised $3,000.00 and donated over 100 pounds of food items. A fun tournament that also supported a local charity.

He’s done it again. Drop into Save-On-Foods, Orchard Plaza on Cooper Road and check out Eric Falkenberg’s incredible Zombie Hand, rising from the monster grave. On the back side is the Save-On-Foods logo. The display was constructed with 2,000 cases of Coca-Cola, Monster Energy and Fresca. The hand is actually a replica of Eric’s hand. He traced it out on grid paper and went from there.

Two new residents have been appointed to Okanagan College’s Board of Governors. Andrea Alexander, a Councillor with the Westbank First Nations and JoAnn Fowler, an Enderby resident who is a mentor for new social workers with the Ministry of Children and Family Development has been appointed for a one-year term to the board. www.okanagan.bc.ca/news/new-members-of-oc-board

The Law vs. Accounting Blood Drive is October 15th to November 15th at 1865 Dilworth Drive, every week, Tuesday to Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and every 2nd Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. starting October 10. Book at www.blood.ca, on the Give Blood APP or 1-888-236-6283. In 2019 the Accountants won the blood drive.

To celebrate the completion of diverse and distinct murals painted this summer, the Uptown Rutland Business Association (URBA) will host a walking tour of all murals, up to 13, on Saturday, October 17th beginning at the URBA office at 158 Valleyview Road in Rutland at 1:00 p.m. The public is welcome to attend but pre-registration is mandatory at 250-451-9861 or Karen Beaubier at executivedirector@uptownrutland.com.

Birthdays of the week –Happy 100th Julie Wambeke (Oct. 4); Happy 80th Marlene Murray (Oct. 6); Happy 35th Rosie Agostino (Oct. 12); Beatriz Dionisio (Oct. 7); Meleena Brister (Oct. 7); Gurinder Pabla (Oct. 7); Cathie Locke (Oct. 8); Jeremy King (Oct. 8); Kahir Lalji (Oct. 8); Karen Roen (Oct. 9); Masayuki Negoro (Oct. 9); Irene Morrison (Oct. 11); Stan Biggs (Oct. 11); Gaelene Askeland (Oct. 11); Michelle Rule (Oct. 11); Pat Rea (Oct. 11); Cecilia Jans (Oct. 12); Ryan Morice (Oct. 12); Teresa Hodge (Oct. 13); Carson Chan (Oct. 13); Mervin Mascarenhas (Oct. 13).

Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna City Councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546 or 250-862-7662 (Cell); Email [email protected]; website www.maxinedehart.ca