Bringing the
Creston Valley together.
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April
2011
You Go, Girl!
Ex-Wynndel resident honoured
for engineering innovations
in health care
From the
Mayor’s Desk
Does Ron Toyota really –
gasp! – text in public?
Martial Arts
Focus on Youth
Teaching bullies a lesson
(without actually beating
them up)
Blasts from the past
highlight 25th anniversary
concerts
Remember.. we service what we sell!
)JHIXBZ/PSUI$SFTUPO#$t250-428-9610tLPPUFOBZBH!UFMVTOFU
Come see us at the Home, Garden & Leisure Show - April 15 & 16
contents
what’s inside
Town
9
Entertainment
10
The Arts
13
The Arts
14
Music
15
History
18
Wildlife
20
Gardening
21
Employment
22
Technology
23
Fitness
24
Martial Arts
25
Health
26
Take a breath, Creston,
he’s only taking notes.
Vast variety of singing talent
in the valley.
Focus on Youth hits
quarter-century mark.
Unique youth showcase
stands test of time.
Tradition continues with
Creston Valley Fiddlers.
Greenhouses go back a long
way – we think.
Rituals of spring easy to spot.
Robbi McDonald and husband Scott Langevin
with their PAWS rescue dogs Wraith and Onyx.
5
Nothing could be finer …
…in the state of South Carolina than Robbi McDonald’s
Tribute to Women and Industry award.
The Magazine
I Love Creston Magazine is produced monthly and distributed free of charge by I Love
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Marketing Ltd. and may not be used in any other medium without permission. Views
expressed in the magazine does not necessarily reflect those of the company.
Letters to the Editor
Letters to I Love Creston Magazine may be emailed to office@ilovecreston.com or
mailed to Box 143, Creston, BC, V0B 1G0. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.
Off-season growing sprouts
surprising results.
Job hunt can start (and end)
at KES.
Something “phishy”
about these calls.
No pain, no gain? No way!
Build character, not just
muscles.
Spring cleaning applies to
your body, too.
I Love Creston Marketing Ltd.
Wendy Franz - Sales/Graphic Design
email: wendy@ilovecreston.com
Justin Ziola - Sales/Financials
emai: justin@ilovecreston.com
Box 143, Creston, BC V0B 1G0 • Ph/Fx 250.428.2631
www.ilovecreston.com
w w w.ilovecreston.com
April 2011
3
this issue
Guest
From the editor
I
f there’s an unofficial theme to this
month’s edition of I Love Creston,
you won’t find out about it in this
column. No sirree. You’ll have to
read the articles yourself and see if
you can find common ground in
many of them, perhaps something
related to one of the four seasons
that falls between winter and . . .
wait, that’s too big a clue.
Just try reading, let’s say, the health
column, which highlights a certain
form of calendar-specific cleaning
that typically occurs in one’s house
but can also apply to flesh and
blood, as Maya Skalinska points out.
Ridding ourselves of internal debris
and toxins can have a regenerative
effect on the body in much the same
way stripping our cupboards and
shelves of hoarded treasures can be
refreshing for the mind. Skalinska
writes of a “detox diet” that goes big
on all-natural, high-fibre foods and
enough water to float a small boat.
Still with physical well-being, the
physiotherapist Foys, Mike and
Candace, provide tips on how to
avoid muscle and joint pain that
can flare up in conjunction with
outdoor activities associated with –
how shall I say it? – a certain time
of year.
Yard work of all sorts beckons,
demanding things of our bodies
that maybe weren’t required during
the more dormant cold-weather
months. Stretching, staying active
and being sensible all combine to lay
waste to the outdated notion of “no
pain, no gain,” claim the Foys.
There are two items about
greenhouses, one by historical
columnist Tammy Hardwick
4
April 2011
inspired by the transition from
winter to . . . er, never mind. It’s
about greenhouses, anyway, and
the fact they’ve existed here for 100
years or more in both backyard and
commercial varieties, though details
are a bit sketchy.
engagements by student participants
from the past who’ve carried their
shtick into adulthood. Bartlett and
Frank Goodsir double-team this
topic to afford an overview of the
present program as well as a glimpse
back at its roots.
Then there’s the piece by contributor
Karen Powis about the Community
Greenhouse, where gardeners
(either innovative or calendarchallenged) have taken to planting
in the summer, tending their crops
through the winter and harvesting
in the . . . opposite of fall. The
results are apparently quite delicious,
according to Powis, who outlines
four basic principles for producing
selected fresh veggies out of season.
Unrelated to the afore(un)
mentioned theme, but worth
noting nonetheless, is the April
feature by Brian Bell, who tracked
down a former Creston Valley
resident whose specialty isn’t exactly
rocket science . . . but might as
well be. Development engineer
Robbi McDonald’s first attempt at
explaining what she does in layman’s
terms included 10-dollar phrases
like “superconducting solenoid,”
“cryostat failure mode,” “ruthenium
oxide sensors” and “fatigue analysis,”
which makes one tired just typing it,
let alone trying to comprehend it.
Wildlife columnist Carla Ahern,
meanwhile, is in the mood for love,
taking a lighthearted look at the
mating rituals of native waterfowl,
which aren’t, she concludes, all that
different from those of the human
species. ’Tis the season for hooting
and pecking, nibbling and preening,
courting and chasing, and generally
showing off with outlandish displays
of affection to woo members of the
opposite sex – and the animals, it
turns out, do this too.
Changing tunes, contributing
writer Trish Bartlett invites readers
to engage in a string fling with the
Creston Valley Fiddlers, who’ve
made quite a name for themselves
in a relatively short span, and whose
seasonal Sweet Sounds concert
comes up early this month.
Another sure sign of – well, you get
the picture by now – is preparation
for the annual Focus on Youth
arts festival, which celebrates its
25th anniversary May 2-6 with
the usual week-long assortment of
concerts and exhibitions, plus return
Suffice it to say that McDonald went
from being a shy Wynndel schoolgirl
to building the world a better MRI
in the race car equivalent of zero to
60 in 10 seconds.
Which is about as fast as the warmweather segment of our year will
seem to last before conditions turn
ugly again. So get out there and
enjoy it from the get-go. 
Mailbag
(Letters and emails to the editor are
printed as written with the exception of
profanity, slander or defamation)
Thank you for the great story
Brian!!! You’ve captured very well
what I want this contest to be
about! Its all about the people.
Vern Gorham
www.ilovecreston.com
feature
Story by Brian Bell
‘Dream student’
Robbi McDonald’s
ambition knows
no end
“Robbi always worked so very hard at everything she
did,” says Vicki, “so one thing that we discouraged her
from doing was getting a summer job. We felt that she
needed to take time off and give herself a break.”
Such intrinsic self-motivation has continued to serve
the 33-year-old McDonald well in the years since she
left the Creston Valley. After graduating from Prince
Charles Secondary School with straight A’s in 1995,
she promptly acquired a bachelor’s degree in physics
and a masters in mechanical engineering from the
University of Victoria.
L
ike many teens, Robbi McDonald heard about
it from her folks with regard to idle time and
summer employment while growing up in Wynndel.
Not so typical was the message delivered by Vicki and
Jim McDonald, who felt compelled to promote the
former and counsel against the latter because of their
only daughter’s hectic pace –the opposite dilemma to
what many parents face.
www.ilovecreston.com
April 2011
5
feature
That led to work as a senior development
engineer with General Electric Healthcare in
Florence, S.C., for which she recently received
a prestigious regional award from the YWCA
through its Tribute to Women and Industry
(TWIN) program. TWIN honours “women
who have made significant contributions to
industry” through companies which “encourage
and enable high achievement by women.”
Nonetheless, she shirks any suggestion this
qualifies her as a female role model.
“Women make great
engineers. Don’t let
a male-dominated
degree scare you.”
“It is difficult to influence young women since
I am never around them,” says McDonald
from Toronto, where she and her husband of
nearly seven years, Scott Langevin, relocated in
January. “Out of 50 design engineers with GE in
Florence, I am the only female design engineer.
“I do mentor younger and older male engineers,
(and) I hope more women go into science and
engineering, but I don’t really see myself as a role
model.”
When asked for a word of advice to girls
back home who aspire to greatness or need
inspiration, Robbi responds with 12 of them:
“Women make great engineers. Don’t let a maledominated degree scare you.”
Fear, it turns out, was the main obstacle in
McDonald’s career path. She might still have
excelled, albeit in a radically different field, but
the removal of a certain “fear factor” back in
the fourth grade at the since-closed Wynndel
Elementary School unlocked the door to highend academic achievement. McDonald blasted
through the portal and never looked back.
Her mom recalls that “as a small child she was
very shy, and because of that the first few years
of school were difficult for her. Then in Grade 4
she had a wonderful teacher that encouraged her
and, most importantly, told her not to be afraid
to ask questions or ask for help. From that time
on Robbi excelled and she carried that over into
everything she did.”
As for McDonald herself, “All I can remember is
that he was the first teacher I was not afraid of.
“Mr. Brown took me from a bottom-of-theclass student to a top-of-the-class student by
encouraging me to ask questions and raising
my confidence. I had always second-guessed the
meaning of the questions, but after one year of
class with him I was less afraid of school and
more confident in my abilities. Past Grade 4 I
rarely had a grade less than an A.”
McDonald racked up award upon award
throughout her teenaged years, including those
for top math, social studies and overall academic
student at PCSS. She was a fixture on the
honour roll and earned so many scholarships
and co-op work terms that she emerged from
more than seven years of post-secondary
schooling debt-free.
For Mason Brown, who retired from teaching at
Adam Robertson Elementary School in 2006,
McDonald represents just one of hundreds of
youths with whom he crossed paths during
a 33-year career. But she comes readily to
Robbi McDonald’s team at GE & MRI magnet.
6
April 2011
www.ilovecreston.com
feature
his mind, and he harbours no shock at her
accomplishments.
“Robbi’s achievements and recognition do not
surprise me at all. I saw that train leave the
station,” says Brown, who witnessed her 10month transformation from timidity to being a
“teacher’s dream.”
“Robbi was willing to give you her very best if
she could just figure out what you wanted and
what did the best look like. Thus came the art
of asking questions – lots and lots of questions.
Then came the courage to try and not always
get it right. Finally came the confidence to learn
from those mistakes.
“What Robbi never gave me were excuses,”
Brown continues. “If she could find a way to
improve something she did just that.”
Never boastful nor critical of others, always kind
and helpful toward classmates, McDonald was
possessed of a work ethic that Brown credits her
parents with nurturing.
“She realized she could achieve anything she set
her heart and her mind to achieve,” he says. “I
will never forget the look on Robbi’s face when
she opened her June report card to find the
straight-A report that she had worked so hard to
achieve. I knew this very special young lady was
not going to accept anything less from school or
from life.”
conducting state that is necessary for the
magnets to maintain their high magnetic field
with minimal power requirements,” she says.
“To keep a magnet that cold requires high skill
in cryogenics and a good understanding of
thermal conductivity.
“The magnet I helped build has been installed
throughout the world. It was recently installed
at a hospital in Surrey.”
She was also in on some groundbreaking efforts
while on a university work term with TRIUMF,
“She realized she could
achieve anything she
set her heart and her
mind to achieve.”
a research firm for which she developed a
cryostat involved in growing crystals for
gamma ray detectors used in positron emission
tomography (PET) scanners. (Ironically, this
was McDonald’s first “summer job.”) It was
while presenting her work at a cryogenics
conference in Alaska that she was recruited
by GE, which she joined in 2004 just after
marrying Langevin, whom she’d met during her
third year at UVic.
McDonald’s knack for improving things has,
most prominently, led to enhanced technology
for magnetic resonance imaging, an internal
diagnostic technique that uses a magnetic field
(strong enough to lift a car off the ground) to
produce pictures of everything from tissues,
bones and tendons to blood flow, heart function
and the brain. GE’s McDonald-led design team
developed a new MRI magnet with a “wider
and shorter bore, or centre, for larger patients
and claustrophobic patients” that went from
prototype to production in three years.
“In layman’s terms, the challenges are that the
magnets need to be really cold (minus-269
degrees Celsius) in order to achieve a superRobbi with her dad, Jim McDonald.
www.ilovecreston.com
April 2011
7
feature
Now possessing a doctorate in computer
science, Langevin specializes in artificial
intelligence and works in the area of human/
computer interaction for Oculus Info. Their
move to Toronto for that purpose has left
McDonald in the market for a new employer,
though she remains with GE in a remote
capacity for the time being.
“The magnet I
helped build has been
installed throughout
the world.”
McDonald dreams of one day returning to the
West Coast, nearer to where she grew up riding
her horse, Cherokee, along the Kootenay River
dikes and behind the sawdust piles at Wynndel
Box and Lumber, hiking deer trails in the
mountains behind her grandma’s house and up
Sanca Creek, water-skiing on Kootenay Lake
and earning a junior lifeguard ticket at the old
Wynndel pool.
McDonald was truly driven as a youth –
literally and
figuratively.
“My mom and
dad always
pushed me to
do different
things, even
when I didn’t
want to, and
to never quit,”
she says,
qualifying
that “I was
only forced
to do the
swimming
lessons.
I wanted
to do
everything
else, and
8
April 2011
my parents were nice enough to drive me to it
all.”
Vicki (whose son, Jamie, is an industrial design
artist in Vancouver) remembers her daughter’s
first, reluctant swimming lesson.
“She was afraid to jump in the water, so unsure
of herself,” she says. “Then she saw another
little girl diving in with no hesitation and
Robbi realized if that little girl could do it,
so could she. That was all it took to move her
to become a really beautiful swimmer and
excellent diver.”
McDonald also played hockey with the
Creston Jets ladies’ team, took dancing lessons,
played high school soccer, studied piano (Royal
Conservatory Grade 10) and was an awardwinning alto and soprano saxophone player for
the PCSS and community bands.
She earned spots with the provincial honour
band and National Youth Band of Canada,
and muses that “if I hadn’t become good at
school I guess I probably would have become
a musician. Once I became good at school I
knew that my future depended on getting good
grades and working hard so that I could get
scholarships to university.”
McDonald envisioned becoming a veterinarian
or doctor, “but discovered I am allergic to
animals and I don’t like memorizing biology.
Math and physics were easy. I read a book
on Einstein in Grade 11 and was very
inspired.”
All these pursuits came largely at the expense
of a social life, but McDonald found a greater
balance in good time.
“I have to say that she was a bit lonely as a
child,” Vicki says. “She had friends, but none
that were so determined to excel as she was.
“But that changed when she went to the
University of Victoria. There she was in her
element. She found friends that were there
for the same reasons she was: because they
wanted to be there, they had goals and loved
learning.” 
www.ilovecreston.com
town
From the Mayor’s Desk
Story by: Ron Toyota,
Mayor of the Town of Creston
Question of the day...
“Is the Mayor TEXTING ?”
S
everal times in the past year I
have been questioned for using
my smartphone during meetings
and events, and I want to thank
those who have brought this issue
forward. While I frequently use
my device for note-taking at such
events, I can understand how this
action could be misconstrued.
I have to go as far back as December
1996 when I purchased and started
using my first personal digital
assistant (PDA), which was a Palm
Pilot. This is a long time before
digital cell phones were in use.
games, music and videos, which I do
not use.
With today’s technology,
one interesting feature of the
smartphone is the ability to take
a photo and identify where it was
taken by utilizing a GPS feature.
One could even catalogue photos
with a personal name through
a facial recognition feature.
These applications are too much
information even for me!
At the recent Lower Kootenay Band
council inauguration, I was observed
at one point on the stage using my
“New technology is of great benefit and
can assist in how we carry out our duties
and record important events”
Back then, a
PDA was a
“state-of-the-art”
new technological
device used to keep
track of phone numbers
and addresses. The calendar
was also a useful tool to keep
appointments and notes, which is
exactly what I have done with all of
my various communication devices
for the past 14 years.
Today’s smartphones (I have
an iPhone 4) are much more
sophisticated and come with
cameras, e-mail and Internet
access, as well as calendars, alarms,
calculators, contacts and note-taking
abilities. These devices also have
www.ilovecreston.com
communication device. Some
individuals thought I was
being disrespectful
to Chief Jason
Louie and the
celebration. In
reality, however,
I was making notes on
who was in attendance, who
appeared on stage, who spoke and
for how long, speech highlights, gifts
that were presented and the time the
event drew to a close. These little
things assist me in my reporting of
event attendance and being able to
provide a greater level of detail and
highlights.
With my smartphone and the PDA
features I can keep track of where I
was, who I was with and what was
discussed. Outside of my duties,
the smartphone also enhances the
preservation of important moments.
For example, at the 66th annual
Butterfly Bonspiel, a rare sight
occurred: the Nicol team from
Castlegar had an eight-ender in its
second end of competition. Because
I had my iPhone with me I was able
to record a photo before the rocks
were removed. (In curling, an eightender is more difficult to achieve
than a hole in one in golf because
you have forces – the other team –
fighting you to not succeed.)
In many ways, new technology is
of great benefit and can assist in
how we carry out our duties and
record important events. I sincerely
apologize to those who think I am
merely texting on my iPhone. 
Ron Toyota can be reached by phone at
250-428-2214, e-mail at Ron.Toyota@creston.ca
or on the Web at www.creston.ca.
Grand
Soiree
Dinner and Dance
Cocktails & Appetizers - 5 p.m.
Buffet Dinner - 6 p.m.
When? June 11, 2011, at 5 p.m.
Where? Creston Room,
Creston & District Community Complex
Come and dine and dance to music by the
Creston Community Band, enjoy a buffet meal
catered by Carole Huscroft and win raffle prizes
donated by local merchants.
Come and help fund the Creston-Kootenay
Foundation. The more the Foundation has in its
in-perpetuity investment portfolio the more it
has for annual granting to non-profit community
service groups working between Riondel and Yahk.
Admission $50.00
Tickets available from Black Bear Books,
Creston-Kootenay Foundation members or call
Nicole at 250-428-4960 or Rita at 250-428-3390
Be Part of the Social Event of the Season
April 2011
9
entertainment
My Side of the World
Story by: Kristen Cook
Roaring Success for
Creston’s Best Singer
I
t’s not often that an event causes
the Prince Charles Theatre to sell
out here in Creston. Regardless, this
is a feat Vern Gorham’s local singing
contest has managed twice now.
I managed to secure a ticket for
the March 11 show and then even
managed to find a seat, something
that is easier said then done. The
lights dimmed and Vern started
the show with his usual engaging
demeanour.
I could just imagine the buzzing
energy backstage. I wondered if any
of the performers were cramming
their lyrics this time. It was easy to
guess who was feeling confident and
Creston Valley
Business Buzz
who was battling nerves. A packed
audience and panel of judges can
be intimidating for even the best of
shower-time singers.
The contest started late last year
with an idea and an ad in the
paper which then translated into
nothing short of a roaring success.
I was part of the November contest
which proved to be as much fun as I
could’ve hoped. I was left enthralled
with the sense of community
we garnered through a number
of karaoke-style practices and
overflowing mutual support for each
other, as well as a few new Facebook
friends.
Jesse and Sarah arrived in late
December, had their second child
on January 30th and started the
practice February 2nd. It was a busy
time but Jesse felt the urgency to
start serving the community right
away.
It is easy to tell that Vern is in his
element as he hosts the shows that
have blossomed from his pet idea.
It’s not surprising, then, that he
managed to channel his energy and
organizational skills into switching
the show dates over to late spring.
The intent was to avoid the worst of
virus season.
This spring’s show debuted with a
more involved schedule, including
two shows. The first utilized the idea
of having the audience vote on the
finalists. This twist makes the show
much more fun but includes an acute
sense of responsibility. It’s a quirk
that brings the performance closer
to Vern’s original inspiration: reality
television shows that put decisions in
the viewers’ hands.
So, then, when the top 20 took to the
stage on that Friday night it was given
that they were a lineup the crowd was
excited to see perform again.
background and education. His
goal is to provide individualistic
care through various therapies,
exercises and advice. He looks
forward to working with people
in the community towards better
health.
For more information please call
Moreton Chiropractic focuses
ppens.
Stuff haand
250-428-3535 or visit the website:
on pain relief, rehabilitation
kins.
there’s Fal
That’s whythat
moretonchiropractic.blogspot.com
prevention; common elements
emerged through Jesse’s research
Proudly Sponsored by...
Jesse Moreton, BSc DC - Moreton Chiropractic
Moreton Chiropractic is a new
chiropractic practice operated by
Dr. Jesse Moreton and his wife,
Sarah Moreton. The couple first
thought of settling in Creston after
a visit in the spring of 2010. After
learning about the need for another
chiropractor and quickly falling in
love with the community, it wasn’t
long before plans were made to
move.
10
April 2011
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warm rela
entertainment
I think my favourite part of
Overwaitea’s Creston’s Best Singer
2011 was the amazing variety of acts
we were invited to watch. The show
began with two singers who included
their local band, Fat Charlie. This
got the show off to a rock ’n’ roll
start a la Bachman Turner Overdrive
(a comparison that is not originally
mine, but apt nonetheless).
I thoroughly enjoyed a majority of
the performances that night. Some
stood out to me as particularly
notable. John Herbaut charmed
the crowd with a piece in his native
French. Some friends who were
sitting directly behind me were
distraught that he never finished in
the top three, an opinion that was
certainly justifiable.
Huscroft. I have no idea how the
judges finally decided between these
two stunning young vocalists.
Third-place contestant Kelly Mehrer
looked like he was having nothing
short of a blast as he sang a sea
“It’s a project
that Creston has
undoubtedly
conceded to adopt”
jaunty for his final song. His original
piece, from the soundtrack of Les
Miserables, did a tremendous job of
showing off his vocal talent and range.
Three-and-a-half hours later we’d
all been treated to performances by
some of Creston’s best singers. This
time the show proceeded virtually
without a flaw.
It’s a project that Creston has
undoubtedly conceded to adopt.
The number of community sponsors
was overwhelming and a clear sign
of support for what was originally
just a pet idea.
In regard to Vern, he has bigger
goals of taking his contestKootenaywide. We wish him the best of luck
and are proud to be able to say it all
started here in Creston. 
We were also treated to another
variety of live instruments when
Abby Aryan played a heartfelt
original piece on guitar accompanied
by four additional musicians. If
nothing else, Creston’s Best Singer
certainly provides a showcase for
hidden talent.
Another original piece was
performed by Emma Boutet. I’ve
seen her in each of the three shows
and am always left elaborating to
whoever will listen on how she’s
one of my favourites – the one out
of all the performers, perhaps, who
I would most gladly listen to at
home, through my stereo. Her vocal
quality and songwriting skills are
remarkable.
Presented with the exceedingly
difficult job of rating the 20
marvellous singers, the judging
panel did a wonderful job. It would
be hard to argue with their final
decisions.
Lenora Blackmore performed nearly
flawlessly each of the three times she
sang before being named Creston’s
best singer for 2011. The same
could be said for runner-up Hilory
www.ilovecreston.com
www.remaxcreston.com
Discovery Real Estate
t 1013 Canyon St., Creston
t 106 33rd Ave. S., Hwy. 3, Erickson
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April 2011
11
the arts
Monday, May 2
to Friday, May 6
2011
Visual Arts
Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce
Performing Arts
Prince Charles Theatre
Special Opening Gala
Prince Charles Secondary School Lobby
following Monday Night Concert
A Proud
Supporter of
Focus on Youth
Creston Valley
Teachers’Association
12
April 2011
www.ilovecreston.com
the arts
Focus On Youth Celebrates 25 Years
Story by: Frank Goodsir
C
rocuses are in bloom, daffodils
will soon be bursting forth,
animals will be giving birth to a new
generation . . . and both private and
public school teachers are frantically
preparing their students for the
annual Focus on Youth festival.
This year is a special milestone for
the annual event as it marks 25 years
of our youth performing in this
non-competitive festival.
This year’s Focus on Youth runs May
2-6 in a series of approximately 15
concerts that involve public and
private school students as well as
students who take private music
lessons. Most performers will be
between the ages of four and 19.
This year, to mark the 25th
anniversary of this popular youth
event, students (now adults) who
have performed in the past will be
sprinkled throughout the concerts.
Any previous performer who has
www.ilovecreston.com
graduated, kept their skills in their
performing art alive and would like
to be one of our guest performers
should contact Lynn Johnson at
(250) 402-6232, so they can receive
a scheduled performance time.
on Northwest Boulevard. The
usual spectacular array of fantastic
art created by students from
kindergarten to Grade 12 will be
on display during regular chamber
hours.
The concerts will be front and centre
on the Prince Charles Theatre stage
where the students, many for the
A special opening gala will take
place in the Prince Charles
Secondary School lobby
immediately following the Monday
evening performance.
“A total theatre
experience with
lighting, sound and
a live audience”
first time, will have a total theatre
experience with lighting, sound
and a live audience of their peers,
parents, grandparents and other
assorted relatives and friends.
In all, approximately 900 students
from Riondel to Yahk will take part
in this week-long extravaganza. As
in past years, the festival will have
an international flavour as students
from Idaho and Montana who come
to Creston to work with our private
music teachers are also involved.
This is one of the many features that
make our festival unique.
In conjunction with the performing
arts, a visual arts display is planned
that week at the Creston Valley
Chamber of Commerce office
Everyone is encouraged to take in at
least one concert along with the art
show and support the talents of the
young people in our community. 
April 2011
13
the arts
Celebrating our Youth in the Arts
Story by: Trish Bartlett
S
pring is here, and so is Focus on
Youth.
district, and his fine arts committee
(including drama consultant
Elizabeth Hutton and fine arts coordinator Alanda Green) wanted to
include all local school classes as well
as private music students. Glenna
Taylor, the Creston Arts Council
president at the time, eagerly agreed.
“The festival is non-competitive and
may be the only opportunity for a
student to perform in public,” says
Lynn Johnson, chairman of this
year’s event. “Because it’s our 25th
anniversary, we are inviting former
participants who have kept up their
skills, both performers and artists, to
participate.
“On Monday, May 2, we will have
a gala reception in the PCSS foyer
lunchroom after a shortened evening
concert. There we will be displaying
artwork from former art students.
We want to include as many former
participants as possible.”
Anyone interested should contact
Monte Anderson at andersonmusic@
shaw.ca for more information.
Focus on Youth started in 1989 when
Anderson and Joanne Knobbe held
a joint recital for their students at
the old Catholic hall and invited the
Seventh-day Day Adventist school
band to participate. Artwork was
added in the second year.
Margaret Lavender, the elementary
school music specialist at the
time, suggested they expand the
recital. Her husband Lawrence, the
director of instruction for the school
The third year of the festival was
co-sponsored by the Creston Valley
Music Teachers Association, the
school district and the arts council
and was held in the new Prince
Charles Auditorium, making use of
the grand piano newly purchased by
the Creston Concert Society.
the early Focus on Youth organizing
committee.”
The festival assumed the form it still
maintains, showcasing private music
students and students from every
elementary class in the valley and
up the lake in numerous concerts
during the week. The art show
displays a piece of art from almost
every elementary student and from
every pupil in the high school art
department.
Unfortunately, in recent years,
declining school enrolment has
resulted in a decreased number of
concerts. Plus, with the reduction of
school arts programs, students have
fewer opportunities to experience the
arts. Private teachers try to pick up
the slack but participation in lessons
is not always possible for low-income
families.
“We look for local VIPs to emcee
every concert,” Johnson says. “One
of our earliest was Lela Irvine as the
mayor of Creston. This year we are
planning to have Rita Macdonnell,
who was an elementary school
music teacher and was involved in
“This festival is very dear to my
heart,” Johnson says. “It becomes
more and more important to keep
the fine arts on the public radar and
in people’s lives. Kids are learning
skills which will serve them well in
the future.” 
Celebrating 25 years
of Focus on Youth
Supporting the
Talents of our Youth
During the 25th Annual
Focus on Youth
Come out and support our
Valley’s talented youth!
n.ca
cresto
www.
UI"WFOVF/PS UI$SFTUPOt1IPOF
14
April 2011
www.ilovecreston.com
music
The Sweet Sounds of Strings
Story by: Trish Bartlett
C
reston has been filled with the
sweet sounds of strings for so long,
we forget local violin teachers have
taught here for just over a dozen years.
In 1986, Monte Anderson, a local
music teacher, contacted Caroline
Hatch, a violin teacher in Sandpoint,
Idaho. Anderson knew Hatch from
when they worked together with
the Calgary Fiddlers, a group Hatch
founded.
Four families (the Huscrofts, Grays,
Sommerfelds and Andersons) began
10 years of twice-weekly travel to
Sandpoint for violin lessons. Out
of those lessons, the Creston Valley
Fiddlers were formed and grew as more
students joined the weekly trek.
In 1996, Hatch moved to Creston
and brought with her a unique style of
teaching, blending the Suzuki method
with that of Paul Roland. Over the
years, dozens of Creston Valley children
and adults learned to play violin under
her tutelage.
In 2003, Hatch left the area and
Kaylen (Wild) Huscroft was convinced
to take over the mantel of director of
the Creston Valley Fiddlers. By that
time there were several violin teachers
in the valley, most of whom trained
under Hatch. They gave private lessons
and funnelled their students into the
Fiddlers for group performances.
www.ilovecreston.com
Last year, Velle Huscroft (now
Weitman), a professional musician and
one of the original intrepid travellers
to Sandpoint, moved back to Creston.
She willingly assumed the directorship
of the Creston Valley Fiddlers as of
March 2011. Weitman has opened her
own studio, Velvet Strings, and is one
of a half-dozen local violin teachers.
To join the Creston Valley Fiddlers a
student must take private lessons to
learn basic violin technique. Students
are then placed in a small performance
group where they learn the Fiddlers’
repertoire and the basics of performing
in a group setting.
“I believe music is a gift which is
meant to be shared,” Weitman says.
“The Creston Valley Fiddlers provides
a platform for students to hone their
skills and perform. It is an opportunity
for them to share their gift with
others.”
Presently, the Creston Valley Fiddlers
consist of about 30 participants.
Approximately one-third are adults,
some of whom only recently started
lessons.
Weitman has plans for the Fiddlers.
She wants to increase the number of
small groups according to ability, age
and willingness to tour.
“I’m thinking of implementing a Young
Fiddlers performance group, starting
around age five,” she says.
Weitman would like the community to
know that the Creston Valley Fiddlers
are available for performances for any
and all community activities. There
is no charge but donations are greatly
appreciated.
Donations are used for costumes,
music, workshops, tours and a host of
other miscellaneous expenses. 
For more information about the Fiddlers, contact
Weitman at velvetstrings@gmail.com. To hear
the Fiddlers, come to the annual Sweet Sounds
concert April 8 and 9 at the Rotacrest Hall.
April 2011
15
Tips for Preparing for Spring Gardening
www.handycanadian.com
Compost Treatment
Most gardeners have a compost bins
or piles that holds leaves, decaying
vegetation and kitchen compost. This
mixture has been sitting all winter
long and now it is time to turn it over
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and get some oxygen into the mix to
speed up the decomposition. Garden
compost is vital to the health of the
whole yard and not just the garden.
Besides the fertilizing component
compost provides great mulches and
soil improvements. By preparing the
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organic compost before your garden
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soil conditioners and nutrients.
Power Tools Preparation
One of the most disheartening
sounds in the spring is the sputtering
of garden power tools that won’t
start. Before the yard is ready begin
to get your power tools into shape in
the order that they are needed. This
includes getting blades sharpened
and scraping off rust flakes and
coating bare steel with rust paint.
Clean Out the Garage and/or Shed
Many people begin to think about
their gardening tools and other
garden necessities on the day they
want to begin. After a long winter
the storage area may not be a pretty
site. Take a few hours every weekend
to get your tools in shape and make a
list of supplies that you will need.
Yard Clean-Up
After pruning the rest of the yard
can be cleaned of debris that has
accumulated over the winter or
things that were missed in the fall.
This includes spruce bough and
leaves that were spread out to protect
the flowerbeds in the winter.
Mulching
When the weather begins to get hot
and the ground dries then the garden
work can begin. Also remember that
the soil should not be allowed to get
too dry or the roots will burn. This
is where compost and garden mulch
will come in handy. 
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April 2011
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Tips to Save Electricity
www.handycanadian.com
Phantom Power Bleeding
Many digital devices in the home
remain plugged in when not needed.
They draw electricity that can
amount to almost hundred dollars
a year. So, hook your devices to a
power bar and switch this off when
the devices are not in use.
Leaking Taps
Another big waste of money in an
electrically-heated water tank is
leaking hot water taps. Leaky washers
can drain hundreds of dollars in
wasted electricity.
Wash in Cold Water
The new detergents are so thorough
that washing in hot water is a thing
of the past.
Clothes Lines
Years ago almost everyone dried
their clothes on a clothesline in the
yard. Today there are many types of
clotheslines that can be mounted
both inside and out of the house.
Plugging Holes
Older homes have dozens of small
leaks to the outdoors because of both
wood shrinkage and deteriorated
caulking around windows, doors and
utility lien inlets. Re-caulking these
areas will save money for those with
electric heat.
Hot Water Tank Jacket
The hot water tank can get an
overcoat to keep it doubly warm.
This means that the water will stay at
peak temperature longer and that the
heating element will not kick in as
often. 
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April 2011
17
history
Overlooked History –
Greenhouses in
the Creston Valley
Story by: Tammy Hardwick
Manager - Creston & District Museum & Archives
N
ow that it’s spring, I’m hearing
a lot of people talking about
their gardens and greenhouses, so I
thought this might be a good time
to write about the early history of
greenhouses in the Creston Valley.
Unfortunately, you’re going to get as
much guess as history because, as it
turns out, this is one of those topics
where finding information is much
easier said than done. For example,
in a 1975 article titled Agriculture
Made Creston, the Creston Review
has this to say about the greenhouse
history of the valley: “J. Cook had a
greenhouse in 1920, and now there
18
April 2011
Ryckman’s Greenhouses.
is but one, Mr. Groot’s.” Now, how
helpful is that?
I have found several random
references in the early newspapers,
though, enough to say for certain that
greenhouses have been a significant
part of the valley’s agricultural
production for almost as long as the
valley has had agricultural production.
A little note in the Creston Review
in March 1915 refers to “all the
greenhouses” in Erickson “steaming
up” in the warming spring weather.
This suggests that there were quite a
number of greenhouses in the Creston
Valley. I suspect most of them were
quite small, probably for use by one
family. Like today, they would have
allowed local residents who depended
on the produce of their vegetable
gardens to get a head start on the
growing season.
Private greenhouses also had the
advantage of allowing their owners to
try out unusual crops, as the Review
reported in 1916: “Henry Hamilton
has a fine lot of tobacco plants in
his greenhouse, and expects to grow
enough to do him a year, with a little
to treat his friends occasionally. He has
experimented successfully with tobacco
for several years.”
In addition to these private
greenhouses, there were at least two
commercial greenhouses in the valley
as early as 1912. On March 22, 1912,
the Review announced:
“Mrs. W.S. Ryckman is the first in
the Creston district to begin shipping
vegetables to the market. With the aid
of Creston’s sunshine and through her
own good care of the plants she is far
ahead of the others in the district in
bringing radishes to maturity and some
of the product of her greenhouse are
already on their way to the market at
Wetaskiwin. She has also sold some of
the product in Creston. Mrs. Ryckman
has developed her hot house plant
and it is one worth while. She has
already transplanted over 1,000
lettuce plants and
these with other
vegetables will soon
be ready for table
use. Mrs. Ryckman
has not only proved
Creston’s worth as
an early producer of
vegetables but her own
ability as a rancher.”
Sarah Ryckman
operated her greenhouse
in the area of 22nd
Avenue South and Elm
Street. This article is
interesting because, among
all those that the Review
published in those days to
recognize the community’s
www.ilovecreston.com
history
biggest boosters, it’s one of the very
few to give the credit to a woman. To
judge from this article, hers was the
first successful commercial greenhouse
in the Creston Valley.
Neil Groot’s greenhouse, to which the
Review referred in 1975, was another
example of this type of agricultural
industry. From 1962 to 1992, Groot
Farms shipped greenhouse and
hydroponically-grown vegetables
to grocery stores throughout the
Kootenays.
The other major greenhouse in 1912
belonged to T.M. Edmondson, and
I believe it was located in the area
of Hillside Road and 11th Avenue
North. In April 1912, Edmondson ran
an ad in the Review, announcing: “I
have 75,000 plants consisting of the
choicest varieties of Tomatoes, Onions,
Flowers, etc. Greenhouse chuck full.
Seeds purchased from the leading
seed houses of Europe and America,
they are fine. Call and see them. T.M.
Edmondson.”
Unlike Ryckman and Groot, who
raised vegetables to maturity, Tom
Edmondson was clearly serving those
people who wanted to get a head start
on planting without having to
maintain greenhouses of their
own. His customers bought the
young plants and set them out
in their own gardens, much the
same as is done through Morris
or Palmer greenhouses today.
The 1975 Review article refers
to Cook’s greenhouse of
1920. That was James Cook’s
greenhouse, built, actually,
in 1923, which he operated
on Ninth Avenue North.
Although Cook’s obituary
states that it was a small
one, the photos we have
of it show it to be a fairly
good size. His obituary
goes on to say that he
disposed of it in 1937
but does not say to whom.
www.ilovecreston.com
Cook’s greenhouse might have become
Moore’s greenhouse, but I’m not sure.
We have two photos in the archives
collection, both showing the same
greenhouse, with one identified as
Moore’s and the other as Cook’s. Lloyd
Morris tells me, though, that Moore’s
was located on Pine Street, below the
grain elevators, when his father took it
over in 1953. Maybe it moved at some
point.
Moore’s Greenhouses.
Wherever it was in 1937, Moore’s
greenhouse was a commercial venture
along the lines of Edmondson’s
earlier one, selling bedding plants to
local residents. In addition to young
vegetable plants, Moore’s also sold
annuals and offered special flowers at
Christmas.
A couple of references suggest that
this greenhouse was owned by
Charlie Moore, better known as a
land surveyor. However, his obituary
doesn’t say anything about him having
operated greenhouses, and another
note mentions that his greenhouses
were “not too commercial.” This
doesn’t quite jive with the scope of
operations suggested by the 1937 ads.
A longtime valley resident thinks the
greenhouse may have been operated
by one or more of Charlie’s sons.
Cook’s Greenhouses.
My friend, though, says she was
never in that greenhouse, because
her mother could never afford to buy
flowers and vegetable plants – she
grew her own. And that quite neatly
takes us back to the small private
greenhouses scattered in backyards
throughout the community. Lots of
people had them but they were such
a common part of life that nobody
mentioned them. We just have to take
it for granted that they were there.
Kind of like icehouses and
outhouses. 
For more information contact the Creston
and District Museum and Archives by phone
at 250-428-9262, e-mail at mail@creston.
museum.bc.ca or at the Web site www.
creston.museum.bc.ca.
April 2011
19
wildlife
A Tale of Woo
Story by: Carla Ahern, Director of Communications,
Stewardship and Education Creston Valley Wildlife
Management Area
F
earlessly braving the cloudy
morning and blustery winds
at Duck Lake, a group of eager
birdwatchers took to the dike in
search of anything that had wings.
On this day in March, the ice was
just starting to melt on the lake. In
the pockets of open water, a myriad
of swans and ducks landed and
took off, swam and preened, chased
and wooed. Yes, folks, it was the
beginnings of spring.
“Spring is a great
time to get out in
the wetland and get
in the mood”
It always amazes me each year
how all the bird species know that
exact moment when the ice opens.
Within minutes of that first glimpse
of a ripple, a bird has landed on it.
Spring always brings large flocks
of ducks and swans who are just
waiting for that watery runway to
open so they can touch down.
I do love to see the swans-aswooning. Males and females
entwine necks and nibble at each
other, expressing their affection
20
April 2011
and attraction, each rub saying in
silence, “Hey, I think you’re pretty
special. Want to go hide in the
cattails with me?”
While the swans seem to gracefully
court, other species of birds have a
more . . . direct approach. Swallows
dive-bomb each other in an aerial
display of affection. Great horned
owls hoot at each other – a poetic
way to snag a mate. An osprey
male brings his lady sticks and fish,
showing that he is a good provider
for her and her young – a practical
form of wooing.
Hmm, the human courtship is really
not all that different, is it? We get
caressed and nibbled, chased,
hooted and hollered at, and bought
dinner, all in an attempt to get our
attention and hide with us in the
cattails.
Spring is a great time to get out in
the wetland and get in the mood –
the wildlife watching mood, that is .
. . so we’ll see you out there! 
If you have any questions about where to
explore, please feel free to e-mail or call us at
(250) 402-6900 or askus@crestonwildlife.ca.
Carla Ahern is the director of communications,
stewardship and education at the Creston Valley
Wildlife Management Area. She loves to canoe,
garden, cook, sew, sit in hot springs and go for
long walks in the wetland. She can be reached
at 250-402-6905 or cahern@crestonwildlife.ca.
www.ilovecreston.com
gardening
Winter Harvest Project
Success Story
Story by: Karen Powis
T
he Community Greenhouse
at the College of the Rockies’
Creston campus has recently
completed a two-year research
project to investigate growing coldtolerant vegetables in the fall, winter
and spring in field hoop houses,
home greenhouses and various types
of creative environments designed by
gardeners.
Thirty-seven participants took part
this past winter and were amazed
and delighted with their results. It
seems that cold-tolerant vegetables
prefer the shoulder months and will
outperform those grown in the heat
of the summer.
I planted spinach in a cold frame
August 15 and overwintered it into
the spring when it grew into the
biggest, most lush spinach I have
grown in many years of gardening.
There are a few basic principles.
The first is to grow cold-tolerant
vegetables such as spinach,
chard, lettuce, beets, carrots,
corn salad, kale and more. Many
seed companies list cold-tolerant
vegetables separately as more folks
catch on to the enormous potential
of cool-season gardening.
Most crops are planted August 15
and methods range from simple to
sophisticated. If one prefers to keep
www.ilovecreston.com
it simple, plant a few rows in the
vegetable garden around August 15
after other crops are harvested.
The second principal is to protect
plants from wind and extremes
of temperature, which is best
accomplished by using row covers
that can be placed over ninegauge wire hoops when freezing
temperatures start around midOctober. If one prefers, row covers
can be placed as soon as crops are
planted, which has the benefit of
deterring hungry fall insects such as
flea beetles, cabbage and other types
of caterpillars, as well as deer.
Lush fall crops will mature
surprisingly quickly and can be
harvested until around November 1
or December 1, depending on the
weather in the Creston area. Harvest
crops any day the temperature is
above zero.
Do not be dismayed on frosty days
to see limp leaves; they will perk up
again as soon as the weather warms
up.
For even longer production, add
a greenhouse, hoop house or
home-made structure covered
with polycarbonate or greenhouse
plastic. The possibilities are endless
as shown by the ingenuity of the
many participants in the project who
built structures under balconies, over
swing-set frames and many other
innovative environments.
The third principle is do not heat
your environment, and the fourth
is to vent your environment when
outside temperatures are above zero.
Harvest when inside temperatures
are above zero.
Spinach, kale and corn salad
overwinter well in the Creston
area and will go dormant during
the coldest part of December to
February. During that time, crops
can still be harvested on warm days.
Around mid-February, overwintered
crops will start to grow and there is
nothing better than spinach salad
picked fresh from the garden in
February. 
For more information consult Eliot Coleman’s
book, Four-Season Harvest, the Winter Harvest
blog at www.communitygreenhouse.blogspot.
com and the College of the Rockies Web page
www.cotr.bc.ca for the final research results.
This project was funded by Investment Agriculture
Foundation and Columbia Basin Trust.
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April 2011
21
employment
Determining your
employment needs
Story by: Kootenay Employment Services
F
or some, finding employment
is a significant life event. It can
mark the transition from youth to
adulthood and independence. It can
also give a sense of accomplishment
and connection to the community.
There are various forms of
employment, such as working for
a company or owning your own
business. But for some it’s not always
easy: a stay-at-home mom needs to
find work but lacks experience and
skills; an older worker needs to rejoin
the workforce; or, a business needs
more staff but can’t hire anyone until
it starts generating more profit.
Regardless, every person and business
has its own specific employment
needs. Kootenay Employment
Services (KES) has many resources
to assist employers and job seekers to
overcome these obstacles.
Employers
Job Board: KES offers free advertising
for employment positions on the
job board. Positions are posted from
newspapers, bulletins and through
KES. All jobs posted through KES
are on our Web site, Facebook and
Twitter. In February, our Web site
alone had almost 9,000 page views
from people in the Kootenays,
Okanagan, Vancouver area, Alberta
22
April 2011
and other parts of Canada and the
U.S.
Wage Subsidies: Many people
graduating from our employment
programs are eligible for a 50- to
100-per-cent subsidy for four to 10
weeks. Also, some people who have
been on Employment Insurance
in the past three years are eligible
for a significantly longer subsidy.
By supporting training costs there
is a decreasing financial strain on
businesses.
Youth and Student Grants: Provincial
and federal programs provide
financial incentives and wage
subsidies for businesses to hire youth
and students. Depending on the
program, employers could receive up
to $3,000 for wages and training or a
subsidy of $7 to $8 per hour for high
school and post-secondary students.
Job Seekers
Counselling: If you’re unsure of what
your employment goals are or how
to start your job search, employment
counsellors are available to help.
Counselling can range from career
assessments to providing cover letter
and resume assistance. Counsellors
can provide valuable labour market
information to help you determine
which fields are growing.
Short-term Training: Funding
options are available for those who
are unemployed (or in some cases
underemployed) and would like to
complete short-term training, such
as first aid/CPR, Food Safe or World
Host. Options are also available for
those wanting to upgrade their high
school credits.
EI-attached Individuals: EI
attachment means you’re currently
on EI or have been in the last three
years (or five years for maternity). For
those who are eligible, the federal
government has a program that can
cover training costs and provide
supports while attending postsecondary school. Job seekers may
be eligible for a wage subsidy that
covers about 50 per cent of wages for
the duration of training at a new job.
Non-EI-attached Individuals: KES
offers various employment programs
for adults, women and older
workers. Participants are paid for
attendance and can obtain shortterm certificate training. Participants
learn valuable employment, life and
computer skills and each of these
programs offers a wage subsidy after
completion. The next intake for
these programs is the beginning of
April 2011.
Persons with Disabilities/Barriers:
For those struggling with a disability
or barriers, KES has programs that
can assist with supports, training and
finding employment or volunteer
opportunities in the community.
Self-employment: A 12-week
employment program exists for
older workers who are interested in
opening a business. Participants are
provided in-depth training and paid
for attendance.
Youth: KES has a specialized
program that consists of five weeks
of paid classroom training and 10
weeks of paid placement. Youth learn
numerous life and employment skills
and are also given a chance to obtain
short-term certificates. Intake is in
late fall. 
For more information call KES at (250) 428-5655
or visit us online at http://www.kes.bc.ca to learn
more about our programs and how we can help
you reach your employment goals.
www.ilovecreston.com
Tech Talk
technology
Story by : Kitt Santano
A
PC Virus Phone Scam
hits Creston
lmost everyone has a computer,
and the majority of people
are on the Internet reaping the
many benefits that it has to offer. If
you enjoy a computer as much as
everyone else you will understand the
great joy and knowledge it can bring
into your life. Communication with
family and friends, genealogy, how to
tie a tie – it’s all there.
“This scheme is
purely distasteful and
downright dishonest”
Unfortunately there are a maraud
of hoaxes, phishing schemes and
plain old nasty tricks that people
can fall into. One such scheme has
been rampant in Creston, and I’m
sure throughout Canada, U.S.A. and
around the world.
The scam usually starts like this:
you receive a cold phone call from
someone you don’t know, they profess
www.ilovecreston.com
to tell you that they know there is
a problem with your computer and
that they are computer maintenance
people. Where they really get
convincing is they use deceitful tactics
like they are representing Microsoft,
or that they are Microsoft technicians.
Hearing the word Microsoft, you
feel like this is an important call and
they string you along, asking you to
turn on your computer so that they
may show you the many problems.
As they guide you along, they have
you open the event viewer and they
will show you a number of “errors” in
your system that are really harmless,
then walk you through other steps
that show things on every computer
but that they will claim are evidence
of bad things, then ask to take remote
control of your system.
If you let them take control of your
system they could install literally
anything and steal any information
present on your computer. The coda
of their pitch is to sell you computer
repair or protection services you
don’t need and take your credit card
information in return.
Upon completion they usually
demand that you make payment to
them, which is usually between $200
to $300 for either services rendered or
software to keep you protected.
Once you put up any kind of fuss
about this, they then try to barter
with you and request half the
amount. They will even say things
like, “Well, you own a computer, you
must have money.”
This scheme is purely distasteful
and downright dishonest. My
recommendation would be to end
the conversation early and as politely
as possible, saying something to the
effect that you will contact your local
computer technician and have them
take care of any problems.
If there are any questions or concerns
about software you have to pay for, or
phone calls saying they are magically
capable of knowing your computer
is broken or infected with a virus,
pick up the phone and call your local
computer technician and ask about
such situations. You may find easy
answers and money well saved. 
For more information call Pro-to-Call
Computer Services at (250) 428-5701 or
visit www.pro-to-call.ca.
April 2011
23
Spring Has Sprung!
fitness
Story by: Michael Foy BScPT & Candace Foy BScPT
*Canadian Physiotherapy Association
I
t’s that time of year again. Spring has sprung on us here in the
Creston Valley.
The sudden increase in yard work at this time of year often leads to
a burst of injuries such as back, neck and other joint pains. Much
of this pain and suffering can be avoided with careful planning and
preparation.
Often wintertime means less physical activity, so the sudden
demand we place on our bodies for hours on end in the spring
takes its toll if we are not careful and overdo it, especially if you
have a pre-existing condition or injury.
1. Stretch – before, during and after gardening.
After a gentle warm-up such as walking for five minutes, it is time
to stretch. Stretching – as part of a warm-up, as a break during
repetitive movement and as a cool-down – helps you to move
easily, keeps your muscles flexible and relaxed and your joints
mobile, and relieves thickening of the tissues found after static
postures or excessive, repetitive activity.
When stretching, remember:
• Movements should be slow and controlled. You should feel a
gentle stretch of the muscle. Stretching should never be painful.
• Once you feel a stretch, wait for the tissue to soften. If instead
you feel it fatigue or even tighten, then wait and try again in a
short period of time.
• Do not bounce or jerk.
• Best to repeat each stretch two or three times.
2. Move – today for tomorrow.
Get moving. Keep moving. Stay moving. Gardening is an excellent
way to get your whole body in motion.
• Section off your garden to find your “easy zone” which permits
your body to work in a comfortable posture, and try to do your
work within this zone.
• Activity outside your “easy zone” may cause sprains and strains.
• Avoid “out-of-zone” postures by moving with your work. Keep
your work in front of and close to your body to avoid reaching
and twisting.
• Lift with your knees bent, keeping your back straight.
3. Add it up.
Pace yourself. Take a break. Spread tasks over a period of time, and
take time to recover between projects.
• Rotate tasks.
• Avoid over-use injuries by doing different activities throughout
the day to reduce strain on major muscle groups and joints.
• To gain mobility, plan activities throughout your day that keep
you moving for periods of at least 10 minutes. To maintain your
mobility, make every movement count.
• For maximum benefit, physiotherapists recommend regular
physical activity and stretching to maintain your physical
mobility throughout the year.
• Work within your physical strength. Standard safe lifting loads
are 64 pounds (29 kilograms) for middle-aged men, 28 pounds
(13 kilograms) for women, but a “safe” lift is less than this when
the load is difficult to reach or an awkward shape.
4. Use tools that work for you.
Gardening tools and equipment are meant to ease work, not cause
additional strain. Take measures to fit the tools to you, not you to
the tools.
• Keep your supplies within easy reach. Consider using an
apron with pockets, a wheelbarrow to transport supplies, an
extended handle to reduce the reach and tools with good grips
or ergonomic handles.
• Talk to a physiotherapist. Physiotherapists are health-care
professionals who help people of all ages and lifestyles gain and
maintain their desired level of active living and physical mobility.
Physiotherapists not only treat injuries, they also teach you how
to prevent the onset of pain or injury that can limit your activity.
Check out our Web page with more tips on Facebook, Creston PhysioWorks
& More, or stop by our new location at the Creston and District Community
Complex.
24
April 2011
www.ilovecreston.com
martial arts
Learning Self Confidence
and Respect
Story by:
Shifu Neil Ripski
B
ullying is the very reason most of
us in the martial arts world began
in the first place. My own story is no
different. I learned to run as fast as
I could and take the punishment of
the beatings when the other kids were
simply faster.
That changed rapidly when I started
training with my first master, but not
for the reasons you might think.
You see, I study the traditional martial
arts, starting long before the mixed
martial arts phenomenon. MMA is
really just an old idea brought forward
for entertainment purposes which, in
many people’s estimations, is ruining
the meaning of the martial arts.
The traditional martial arts are more
concerned with building good citizens,
the character of their students, than
they are with creating dangerous
fighters, and it is these lessons that
bullies need to learn.
Now this is not a new idea. The Wu
De or Martial Virtue Code is a poem
written over a thousand years ago in
China to help govern the actions of
martial artists both as they teach and
as they learn. It is not a long list, but
real moral truths rarely need much
explanation.
A good traditional martial arts school
of any style will follow these methods
for building character and carefully
watch its students, whether they know
it or not, as they have been a part of the
tradition for so long they have become
ingrained.
Respecting your elders, yourself and
your peers are among the first tenets
of the Wu De. You can see these
things taught through the use of the
traditional uniforms of the arts, which
must be clean and orderly each class,
www.ilovecreston.com
and through bowing to one another,
implying a mutual respect to not injure
or harm.
The master of the school should also be
revealing these things to the students
and enforcing them as they train.
Honour your country, your religion
and those of differing opinions around
you.
One of the great lessons of the martial
arts is to understand frustration and
how it means that a concept you do
not understand is being presented.
Actual growing must be done mentally
and physically to progress.
But back to the bullies. A traditional
school with all its trappings will also
watch carefully who it teaches. There
is an old Chinese saying: “Watch the
student for 10 years rather than teach
the wrong student.” This is a warning
to teachers to know and trust the
character of their students, helping to
build them into kind and generous
people before allowing them to learn
anything of real power.
Abraham Lincoln, I believe, said,
“The way to test the true nature of a
man is to give him power.” Martial
arts teachers know what they teach
can be used for harm and as such the
traditions exist to help protect the
public from what are termed poison
dragons – martial artists with no moral
code.
In my own experience of teaching I
have seen bullies enter my classes and
change, as well as learn valuable lessons
from their peers and leave at times. The
important thing is that we martial arts
teachers understand the need for the
Wu De (martial virtues) and demand
our students understand and learn
them, before placing any power into
their hands.
One of the biggest bullies I have ever
met joined my class a few years ago,
obviously to perfect his craft. What was
amazing was that within months he
was one of the most helpful, courteous
students I had. Meeting his parents
was a pleasure and hearing about how
his behaviour at home and school had
changed was a great feeling.
I have seen this happen over and over
in many martial arts schools, all of
which taught traditional values with
the inherent power contained in the
martial arts.
Please understand that the martial
arts are just another path to becoming
a fully rounded, respectful human
being, and good martial arts teachers
(traditional or not) are always striving
to help their students reach this goal
long before any fighting ability.
Do not let the popular media fool you.
What you see on the screen is rarely
anything like the real thing. The real
thing is within your heart and reflected
in our actions to help others.
Why did the bullies begin to leave me
alone? Confidence. The more I had,
the less I had to run and the less I had
to fight. Self-confidence and respect
are the greatest gifts we can give to our
youth.
Neil Ripski teaches kung fu and tai chi at Red Jade
Martial Arts in Creston. He can be reached at
250-866-5263 or at www.redjademartialarts.com.
April 2011
25
health
Spring Cleansing
Story by: Maya Skalinska,
M.H.,R.H.T
S
pring is here – time
for regeneration and
transformation. It is also a natural
time for our bodies to pick up the
pace and clear out any digestive
debris and toxins that may have
So, if you want to try a detox diet,
this is what I recommend:
For two weeks, focus your diet
on high-fibre plant foods, fresh
greens and sprouts. Complex carbs
such as grains, legumes and seeds
“Spring is the perfect time to
take advantage of what our bodies
naturally want to do… Detoxify”
piled up due to our lowered
metabolic rate during the winter.
Spring is the perfect time to take
advantage of what our bodies
naturally want to do . . . detoxify.
Putting foreign substances into our
bodies impairs healthy chemistry
and causes trouble in the long
run. Pesticides, herbicides, heavy
metals, food additives, household
and personal care products,
pharmaceuticals, as well as habitforming substances such as sugar,
nicotine, alcohol and caffeine,
are toxins we are all exposed to.
Proper elimination of these toxins is
absolutely crucial to health.
We offer practitioner
quality supplements,
organic groceries and
specialty health foods,
herbs and spices,
as well as a large variety
of “clean” body care.
Health Food Store
Mon. to Fri. 9:30 am - 5:30 pm, Sat. 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
127 10th Ave. N., Creston (Across from Post Office)
Phone: 250-428-7700
www.ilovecreston.com/vital health
26
April 2011
are important as they encourage
movement in the digestive tract,
promoting cleansing action.
A daily dose of raw onions,
garlic and pumpkin seeds will
help get rid of parasites. Add
plenty of asparagus, avocados and
walnuts as they help detoxify the
liver.
Drink eight to 10 glasses of water
every day. Water is perhaps the most
important detoxifier.
It is also important to avoid all acidforming foods such as sugar, meat,
milk products, breads, baked goods
and refined carbohydrate products.
Help Control
Unwanted
Pets
Support S.N.A.P.
(Spay/Neuter Animal Program)
Please help with your donations
Phone 250.428.2811 or
Creston’s Treasures & Books
4356 Hwy 21, Creston, BC
“Water is perhaps
the most important
detoxifier”
Wild fish and organic chicken is
OK.
Besides the diet, I also recommend
including detoxifying herbs. There
are many great herbal cleansing kits
available on the market. Visit your
local health food store and choose
the one that suits you best.
Only clean tissue has the power to
function at its highest potential,
and detoxifying is the first step to
health and rejuvenation. Treat your
body to a cleanse diet and enjoy the
extra energy and overall well-being
cleansing brings. 
Maya Skalinska is a registered herbal therapist
with the CHA of B.C. She offers iridology, pulse
and tongue analysis, herbal medicine, nutritional
consultations and flower essences at Crawford
Bay and Vital Health in Creston.
www.ilovecreston.com
Creston Valley
Homes For Sale
We’d Love To Help You Sell Your Home!
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www.ilovecreston.com
April 2011
27
Out & About
www.crestonevents.ca
April 2
Therapeutic Riding Program Volunteer Training
Volunteers will get hands on training
in a simulated therapeutic riding lesson.
Location:849 Erickson Street
12:30pm to 3:30pm
Contact: Michelle Whiteaway
Phone: 250-402-6793
Email: mwhiteaway@hotmail.com
www.cdscl.com/trp.htm
April 2 to 3
Watercolour - Being Positive
About Negative
Instructed by Karen Arrowsmith
Location:Painted Turtle Gallery
Contact: Win Dinn
Phone: 250-428-5141
Email: windinn@shaw.ca
www.ptgallery.ca
April 2 to 3
Blossom Valley Singers
Spring Concert
Location:Trinity United
Church Hall, 2:30pm
Contact: Eileen Warnock
Phone: 250-428-4758
Email: e2warn@gmail.com
community events
April 5
Voyage Through the Northwest
Passage with Lesley Anderton
This is the third part of the Spring
2011 Wildsight Series hosted by the
Creston Valley branch of Wildsight.
Contact: Tanna Patterson
Phone: 250-428-5246
Email: ecobaseball@shaw.ca
April 7
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music performed by the
Footlighters Theatre Society and Adam
Robertson Elementary School.
Location:PCSS Auditorium
7:30pm
Contact: Brian Lawrence
Phone: 250-428-2266 ext.103
Email: editor@crestonvalleyadvance.ca
April 8 to 9
Sweets Sounds - Creston Fiddlers
Enjoy romantic violin music and
decadent desserts.
Location:Rotacrest Hall
7pm
Contact: Kalen Huscroft
Phone: 250-428-8890
Email: wildkalen@wynndel.ca
April 14
Creston Concert Society
presents April Verch
Stunning vocalist, violin and fiddle
virtuoso, stepdancer extraordinaire.
Location: PCSS Auditorium
7:30pm
Contact: Black Bear Books
Phone: 250-428-2711
Email: info@crestonconcertsociety.ca
www.crestonconcersociety.com
Everyone
deserves a
loving home.
Creston Pet
Adoption and
Welfare Society
2805 Lower Wynndel Road
Phone: 250-428-7297
www.paws-crestonbc.org
28
April 2011
New to the Area?
Know Someone Who is?
Great Gifts, Information & Maps
Christy Johnston - Hostess 250.428.7074
SERVING THE CRESTON VALLEY SINCE 1967
April 15
Leah & Friends A Musical Farewell
A performance in which Leah Jones and
Bob Anderson will be saying goodbye to
their Creston and Idaho friends.
Location:Redeemer Lutheran Church
7pm
Contact: Leah Jones
Phone: 250-428-0212
Email: bobandleah@uniserve.com
April 15 to 16
Creston Valley Home, Garden
and Leisure Show
One of Creston’s largest events with
over 3,000 people attending.
Location:CDCC
Contact: Jim Jacobsen
Phone: 250-428-4342
Email: crestonchamber@kootenay.com
April 17
Leah & Friends A Musical Farewell
A performance in which Leah Jones
and Bob Anderson will be saying
goodbye to their Creston and Idaho
friends.
Location: Redeemer Lutheran Church
7pm
Contact: Leah Jones
Phone: 250-428-0212
Email: bobandleah@uniserve.com
April 24
Easter Egg Hunt
8th Annual Easter Egg Hunt. For ages
10 & under, relay races, hot dog, pop
& bag of chips.
Location:Centennial Park
2pm
Contact: CDCC
Phone: 250-428-7127
Email: crestonrec@rdck.bc.ca
April 25 to 26
Watercolour - Spring Bouquet
With Eileen Gidman
Location:Painted Turtle Gallery
Contact: Win Dinn
Phone: 250-428-5141
Email: windinn@shaw.ca
www.ptgallery.ca
www.ilovecreston.com
community events
April 27
Creston Museum - Office Evolutions
Location:Creston Museum
Contact: Tammy Hardwick
Phone: 250-428-9262
Email: mail@crestonmuseum.bc.ca
www.creston.museum.bc.ca
April 29 to 30
Creston Valley Quilters Guild
Quilt Show & Tea
Bi-annual quilt show and tea
showcasing the traditional and artistic
talents of Creston Valley quilters.
Location:CDCC
Friday: 10am to 8pm
Saturday: 10am to 4pm
Contact: Linda Macullo
Phone: 250-428-9791
Email: crestonvalleyquiltersguild@shaw.ca
Health andWellness
Natural Health... Healthy Lives!
• Organic Bulk & Food Products • Wheat & Gluten Free Items
• Herbs & Spices • Farm Fresh Eggs • Personal Care Products
• Homeopathics/Tinctures/Supplements • Healthy Snacks
• 10% off for Seniors Everyday!
• 15% off Personalized Orders • 20% off Bulk Orders
Mon. to Fri.
9 am to 5:30 pm
Saturday
9:30 to 5 pm
Golden Herb
Health Foods
120A
11th Ave. N.,
Creston, BC
(250) 402-0033
DON’T MISS YOUR CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY!
Beauty and Salons
www.ilovecreston.com
April 2011
29
Creston Valley Business Services
30
April 2011
www.ilovecreston.com
BORDERLINE BARREL RACINGPresents
BARREL O RAMA & TEAM ROPING
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$5 Administration Fee per day applies to all barrel racers & team ropers.
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10 & Under & Pony classes in Barrels and the team roping on Sunday.
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Barrel Racing Classes Saturday & Sunday—all late entries in by 9am Starts at 10am
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Late fees of $20 per class apply if you don’t pre–enter
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-BEJFT0QFO 1 run $60 per day - payout each day - Buckle on 2 run average - Saddle in the short go
Saddle sponsors: Kemlee Equipment Ltd & Kokanee Ford Sales Ltd
"NBUFVS)PSTF1 run $50 per day - payout each day - Buckle on 2 run average - Saddle in the short go - Horse must
Not have earned over $300 as of Jan 1, 2011 Saddle sponsors: Interior Brewery Workers & Alpine Toyota Ltd
/PWJDF)PSTF 1 run $40 per day - payout each day - Buckle on 2 run average - Prizes in short go
- Horse must not have competed before Dec 1, 2010
+VOJPST 1 run $40 per day - payout each day - Buckle on 2 run average - Saddle in the short go - rider must be 15
or Under as of Jan 1,2011 (ID may be required) Saddle sponsors: Selkirk Forest Products & Sandor Rentals
.FOT#BSSFMT 1 run $20 per day - payout each day - Buckle on 2 run average - Prizes on short go
UPZFBST 1 run $20 per day - payout each day - Buckle & prizes on 2 run average - Must be 10 or under as of Jan 1, 2011
6OEFS 1 run $10 per day - payout each day - Buckle & prizes on 2 run average - Must be 6 or under as of Jan 1, 2011
,PPUFOBZ3FTJEFOU1POZ$MBTT 1 run $5 per day - payout each day - Saddle & prizes on the 2 run average
- Pony has to be Under 54” Saddle Sponsor: Mutual Fire Insurance Company of BC
.JOJ1POZ$MBTT 1 run $5 per day - payout each day - Buckle & Prizes on the 2 run average - Mini has to be under 32”
5FBN#BSSFMT(VZT(BMT 1 run each $20 each - Sunday only - 1 run per person - Teams to be drawn on Sunday
One rider per horse / pony per class - Horse / pony ridden only once per class. ALL ENTRIES ARE CASH ONLY
5&".301*/(/VNCFS4"563%":
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Entries at 2pm - Rope at 3pm
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:FBS0ME$MBTT 3 Runs For $10 - Must be between 12 & 14 as of Jan 1, 2011
:FBS0ME$MBTT 3 Runs For $5 - Must be between 9 & 11 as of Jan 1,2011
:PVOHFS3PQF8JUI"O"EVMU$MBTT 3 Runs For $2 - Must be 8 or Under as of Jan 1,2011
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