“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.

Canada Day in Enderby

This post is only a month late. I suppose better late than never!

A lovely morning for a parade, neither too hot nor too cool, the crowds gathered along Belvedere Street and Cliff Ave to watch. Enderby delivered up an excellent Canada Day parade this year with a combination of old favourites such as the marching band with bagpipes, the Red Hatters and classic cars and tractors as well as some new editions including the talented River Town Roller Girls, a mobile wrestling ring and the appearance of Ozzy Osbourne on a scooter (compliments of LOL House). Ozzy's second time in Enderby, he helped boost the Canadian spirit of parade watchers as he zipped back and forth with his scooter shouting "Happy Canada Day Enderby" and taking time for "high fives".

The beginning of the Canada Day Parade in Enderby!

 

A marching band.

The Red Hats

Classic Car

The Lion's Float

Players from Runaway Moon

Ozzy Osbourne riding a scooter in the Parade...

...on behalf of LOL House in Enderby.

Ozzy gets the crowd hyped up!

After the parade, viewer walk a couple of blocks down to Barnes Park where there was free entertainment and children activities like a bouncy castle, sumo wrestling and inflatable globes as well as games, food and a classic car show. Entertainment included a roller derby and wrestling demonstration as well as a live rock band Still Munro. Ozzy and the LOL House  performed a skit of poetry reading and music during the bands break.

Ozzy getting into the Canada Day Spirit!

Ozzy getting a little crazy!

Plenty of people at Barnes Park.

Still Munro plays for the people at the park.

Still Munro plays plenty of favourites.

LOL House getting ready to do their skit.

 

Amazing cars at the Classic Car show.

What did you do for Canada this year? Leave a comment below. Enjoy reading my blog? Sign up for updates in the box to the right!

Scotch Creek Trail Opening

Sunday the 26th of June, was the official opening of the Scotch Creek Trail in the North Shuswap. The project was a combination of efforts by the Shuswap Trail Alliance, CSRD (Columbia Shuswap Regional District)  and Shuswap Tourism as well as many other groups and individuals. Near a hundred people, young and old alike, showed up for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony that afternoon and then hiked the new trail.

The trail itself is accessed off the Hlina Logging Road. It is a bit of a drive over the rough roads and the road is not suitable for low vehicles at this time (we drove in a minivan and had no troubles). The parking lot for Scotch Creek Trail is well outlined with rocks and there is an excellent map at the trail-head. There are no pit/compost toilets to be had at this time.

The trail consists of two loops. The shorter, easier Lower Loop and the longer Hlina Loop, though both loops can be done in an couple of hours. While the trail as a whole is a rougher style of trail, it can be used by most people. Many consider the first part of the trail to be the toughest, even though it is located on a well used road, as it climbs relatively quickly to where the trail heads for the trees and into the loops. 

Once in the trees the trail travels up for a short distance till you come to a gate. Once in the gate, the scenery instantly changes into that of old growth forest. Here the trail lends itself to a slower pace. After a short walk, hikers will come across an amazing vista at the Lookout Point. The highlight of the Scotch Creek Trail, this point looks out across the Shuswap Lake to Blind Bay and Copper Island. Parents and dog owners will want to keep child and pets in hand near the Lookout as there is very steep drop with no barrier in front of it.

Once past the Lookout hikers will quickly come across the intersection where they can choose to take the Hlina Loop, which has a spectacular view of its own and then travels to the parking lot via a different route or they can finish the Lower Loop. The Hlina Loop has only been roughed-in at this point (but is scheduled to be worked on this summer), so is only appropriate for people who are comfortable with off-trail hiking. Those finishing the Lower Loop will only travel a short distance to the end of the loop and then continue down the hill they way they came up.

Some photos from  the Scotch Creek Trail Lower Loop before the Lookout.

Winding trail through an Old Growth Forest in the North Shuswap.

Scotch Creek Trail Lower Loop

Old Growth Forest

Rougher styled trail.

Sun shining through the trees.

The Scotch Creek Trail - Lower Loop Lookout Point

View from the Lower Loop Lookup

Blind Bay from across the Shuswap lake

Blind Bay & Copper Island from the Scotch Creek Trail Lookout

More trail from the Lower Loop after the lookout.

Lower Loop trail through Old Growth Forest.

Plenty of twists and turns on the trail.

Rugged path of the Scotch Creek Trail Lower Loop

 

The trail past the gate and down to the road.

My family loved this trail and we will certainly be back for more! We will likely plan it on another Sunday this summer so we can hit the Scotch Creek Farmers' Market (from 10 am to 2 pm just off the highway when you enter town) while we are at it. 

Have you hiked the Scotch Creek Trail? Do you have another favourite in the area? Let me know by posting in the comment section 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!

Cowabunga

This past weekend (May 6th and 7th), the local theatre group in Enderby put on a Moo-dun-it (comedy) fundraiser for MacKenzie Camp, located just east on Mabel Lake Road. Set in the United Church, a dinner was provided in the dining area before the show.

This family appropriate, moo-licious show offered plenty of laughs and featured numerous songs, all set to a cow theme written by local Linzy Lunkwist. Did Bully the Cud try to kill Farmer Brown or was another member of the herd responsible for the attempted crime? If you weren't there for the show...I guess you will never know.

Pics of the cast before the show (Some of the pictures were provided by friends and family of cast members).

 

 

 

 

 

Opening Song

Cow Court In Session.

On the Stand.

The Sacred Cow

Song & Dance

Final Song

Great show guys. Can't wait to see what you do next year!