“Enderby In Motion” In Honour of Rick Hansen

Enderby is hosting its 1st Annual "Enderby in Motion" 5K Run, Walk or Wheel Event, in honor of the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay. Held on Saturday, March 31 at 8 am at the Enderby & District Chamber of Commerce, community members can sign up to participate as sponsors,  volunteers or participators. There are a number of excellent prizes available to be won.

If you are interested in participating in the event, you must enter by March 25. Entry forms are available and can be dropped off at the Enderby Chamber. For more information or to sponsor or volunteer for the event, please contact Patricia Cech at 250-838-5640

Upcoming Christmas Events in the North Okanagan

It is that time of year again when we start to think about Christmas and begin our yearly preparations. As part of your preparations this year, you may wish to add some of the awesome Christmas events found in the North Okanagan.

2nd Annual Gingerbread House Event  (November 27th)

Make sure you come out to support the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs at this wonderful, family friendly event. See the amazing gingerbread creations, bring in your own gingerbread house or make one while you are there. The event is located at the Parkinson Recreation Centre on November 27th from 10am to 3pm.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gingerbreadEvent 
Twitter: @gingerKelowna  use #GingerbreadEvent

 

Enderby Community Christmas Celebration (Dec 2)

This family tradition includes a Santa Parade, River Candle Walk, sleigh rides, bonfire, carols, nativity and free soup and hot chocolate. An excellent way to get into the Christmas spirit, this family event starts with the Parade, located in Downtown Enderby on Cliff Ave at 6 pm.

Some Pics of Santa from the Community Christmas Celebration in years past.

Enderby's Santa getting ready to start the parade.

Santa waving at the crowds during the parade.

Santa in between visits with the children at the festivities after the parade.

Downtown Vernon's Festival of Christmas Traditions (November 25th)

Located  on 30th Avenue (from 29th Street to 35th Street) in Downtown Vernon, this Christmas Light-up includes entertainment, a bonfire, pony rides, carriage rides,  face painting, storytelling, a nativity, and a visit from Santa! The Festival of Christmas Traditions runs from 5:00pm - 9:00pm on Friday November 25th 2011.

If I have missed a local event, please let me know so I can include it. Planning on attending, please leave a comment below. 

2nd Annual Gingerbread House Event

 An awesome guest post about this year's Annual Gingerbread House Event!!! 

Whether you are new to gingerbread house making, an old pro or just want to view all the delicious creations, please support this excellent event.

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2nd Annual Gingerbread House Event

In the summer evenings along Kelowna's lake shore you may have noticed some long boats with 20 paddlers slicing their paddles into the water. Like pistons in an engine the paddles lift vertically up and down in unison, powering the boat ahead. This is the sport of dragon boating which originated in China over 2000 years ago and has become a popular paddling sport in North America and the world in the last 25 years.

Dragon Boaters

Dragon boaters are generally outgoing; you'd have to be to join such a strange and wondrous sport! Dragon boaters are fun, enthusiastic, passionate people who come together from all walks of life with one common goal: To Have Fun!

In 2010 the Red Hot Chili Paddlers, a local co-ed recreational dragon boat team with the Kelowna Dragon Boat Club, decided to take their enthusiasm into the community to create a premier event, a Kelowna family tradition, and an annual fundraiser to support the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs, and the local community.

Red Hot Chili Paddlers

So it is with great excitement that we are now announcing the 2nd Annual Gingerbread House Event which will take place on Sunday, November 27th at Parkinson Recreation Centre in Kelowna, BC. This event aspires to bring our community together to experience the enjoyment, creativity, and beauty of gingerbread houses in support of the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs.

Partial proceeds from this event will directly support the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs’ Cool Moves Program which promotes increased physical activity and healthy eating among school aged kids.

The packaged kit category commences at 10am and at the same time people can start dropping off their open category creations. From 10am-3pm families can come to Parkinson Rec Centre together and build a gingerbread house right at the event. 

Family with Gingerbread House Kit

An Open Category Gingerbread House

With the support from local chefs, we aim to display some of the amazing talent found in the Okanagan Valley. The public viewing will take place from 3-6pm. Viewing entry is $2/adult and $1/under18, or a non-perishable food donation which will go towards the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs' Christmas hampers.

If you’d like to participate in this event, please visit the registration page of gingerbreadevent.com. Sponsorship and donation opportunities are also available. 

Gingerbread House Image

All of the information you need to become a sponsor, a participant or a spectator can be found on our website at: gingerbreadevent.com.

Let us know if you have any questions by emailing the event chairman Clinton Dixson at chairman atgingerbreadcompetition dot ca.

Gingerbread House Event Poster

  

We would be pleased to hear any feedback you have including where you first heard of this event. If you live in the Okanagan you may have heard ads on the radio from our media sponsors at EZRock101.5, SunFM and AM1150 ! Have you seen our website, our twitter page, posters, facebook page, flyers, or posters? Or is this the first place you are reading about it?

For more information, visit our press release: http://www.prlog.org/11691789



 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gingerbreadEvent
 
Twitter: @gingerKelowna

YogaDance Class at Kingfisher Hall near Mabel Lake

Early last Saturday morning, I attended my first YogaDance class at the Kingfisher Hall near Mabel Lake offered by my yoga instructor Alison of Yoga North. It was a bright and sunny morning so we had the class outside behind the hall. A great group of ladies, we danced, opened our chakras and had great fun. I was able to grab a few pics but I didn't manage to get any of the dancing as I was far to busy dancing and having a great time, myself!

Alison sitting on bench at Kingfisher Hall

Sitting out in the sun in Anjali Mudra.

A stretch after dancing.

Alison of Yoga North

It was also my first time at the Kingfisher Community Hall. What a beautiful building. It has been recently renovated and is a great event and function space. It is a moments drive from the Mabel Lake community and  is across the road from the Shuswap River.

Kingfisher Hall welcome sign.

Front of the Kingfisher Hall

View of the side of the Kingfisher Hall and the school behind it.

The new stage at Kingfisher Hall.

I will be visiting the area again soon. There are always numerous events happening at the hall and visitors are welcome. 

Have you been to the Kingfisher Hall?Leave a comment or opinion below.

International Trails Day 2011

This next Saturday, June 4th is the 2011 International Trails Day. Meant to promote trail development, use and awareness as well encourage a healthier lifestyle, International Trails Day provides families with a great chance to get out for an active family outing and meet other active families.

The Trans Canada Trail along with provincial and local trail societies, groups and associations are offering extra incentives for people to get out and use the trails this year with prize draws for participants. 

These are some impressive prizes. Trails BC will be awarding one of two Raleigh bicycles ($350.00 CDN). Those located near Greater Vernon can participate in the Trail Discovery Challenge where participants who correctly answer the trail questionnaire will be entered into a draw to win a handheld GPS unit, put on by the Regional District of North Okanagan, the Ribbons Green Trails Society and the Friends of Kalamalka Society.

Prizes or no prizes, International Trails Day is a get reason to get out and get to know your local trails!

Hiking the Enderby Cliffs

Yesterday (Sunday, May 1), I joined the Hike for Hospice on a hike up the Enderby Cliffs, hosted by the Shuswap Hopsice Society in partnership with the Shuswap Trail Alliance.

A gorgeous day for a hike, we started mid morning up the mountain. We hiked just over 14.5 km and 2200 vertical feet (in about six and a half hours but there were some who did it in five hours). The new trail, finished last fall, was in good shape and accessible by most people. Not only did we have just under 40 people for the Hospice Hike but we met dozens of other people on the trail! All in all it was a great hike and they did an excellent job making sure that everyone could hike at their own speed and that no one was left behind.

I didn`t get many pics this round except for a few at certain view points, so as not to slow the group down. There was also a really thick haze, so even with clean-up, some of the pics aren`t as clear as I would like.

The Monument

A nice view point a little ways up.

A close up of Enderby from the first bench.

Down the valley.

There is still snow...

An interesting tree

The TOP!!!! You can see Shuswap Lake.

And Okanagan Lake.

The North Okanagan Valley

Definitely a few sore places today.  Will be interesting to compare this hike with a repeat of the cliffs in the fall.

Has anyone else hiked the new trail ? What do you think of it?

Shuswap Trail Alliance Planning Session

My family and I attended the Shuswap Trail Alliance planning session today, hosted by the Shuswap Trail Alliance.  We met at the Canoe Beach picnic shelter in Salmon Arm at 9 am and discussed the 2011 volunteer trail work schedule. It was a productive meeting with free muffins and coffee. The only downside was the cold, frigid wind and a mix of rain/snow/sleet that came down. Still, even with the cool weather, there was a good turnout.

After the meeting we went on a little clean-up, twig tossing hike on the Park Hills Trail. This week we did the Outer Loop which has some fantastic views. The trails is in good repair with just a few wet spots till things dry up a bit.

The sun even peaked out for a short while during the hike.

All in all it was a fabulous morning! What did you do this Saturday Morning?

Mountain Bike Movie for a Great Cause

Hosted by the Shuswap Trail Alliance Mountain Bikers, this evening of film helps raise funds to build and maintain mountain bike trails in the Shuswap. The movie Lifecycles will be shown at 7 pm on Friday, April 1st at the Salmar Classic in Salmon Arm. 

Tickets can be purchased at RideTech ( 311 Ross St NE or 250 832-9811 ‎ ) for $10.

Who is going?

Shuswap Trails Powered By People

Tonight I attended the Annual General Meeting for the Shuswap Trail Alliance. 

I was incredibly impressed with the excellent information provided at the meeting. I also gained a better understanding of the amount of work that is required and what goes on behind the scenes to make this organization run.

What did I learned at this meeting?

The Shuswap Trail Alliance:

• is run staffed ( paid & volunteer) by a group of passionate and dedicated individuals.
• is backed by amazing communities full of individuals and businesses that support the alliance with donations and volunteered manpower and expertise.
• is focused on preserving the area's diverse ecosystems and creating a sustainable resource management plan
• works hard to foster cooperation with many different organizations and local First Nations peoples.

Some of their listed goals are:

• to protect First Nations interests
• to reduce/repair ecological damage
• manage land access appropriately
• ensure long-term use of trails

Since 2006, they have established over 50km of new trails. They have designed and placed over 140 trail signs (those are important, trust me) and they make great maps and guides of these trails that they offer free of charge, to name but a few things.

I also learned that it takes an amazing amount of funding to make this happen. With the loss of funding due to government cuts, the Trail Alliance must find other ways to replace the approximately $75,000. That is a lot of money to fund raise. I wonder just how many bake sales that would take?

Thankfully they are finding ways to meet their financial needs and make our trails happen. But they need help to do it. Help from people like you and me.

In fact, they have a fund-raising event coming up April 1 at the Salmar Classic Theatre (360 Alexander Street) in Salmon Arm. A great family outing, it will be an exciting mountain bike flick. Those are all the details I have at the moment but more will be forth coming as I get them.

Think Globally, Act Locally