April 2011 vol 6 issue 83

Keeping the Light in Lighthouse Country • 22TrekOn! Ammonite Falls • 12

Community Living on Vancouver Island Fanny Bay to Nanoose

2 / April 2011

12

10

18

Chrome Island Lighthouse - photo courtesy Ken Walker

4 EDITORIAL

22 FEATURE KEEPING THE LIGHT IN LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY

BUSINESS&FINANCE 5 BizBanter:What’supinlocalbusiness GREATOUTDOORS 12 TrekOn 20 ThroughtheSeasons 28 TideTable 37 IntotheGarden

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT 3 FranLindner:BigRockBags 6 DenmanIslandHome&GardenTour 35 TheMagicofDragonflyKnollGallery

COMMUNITYLIFE 10 ComoxBreweryHopsIntoProduction 14 Compassion&CaringforourAnimalCompanions16NeighbourhoodEmergencyPreparedness19 InspiredbyCommunity 28 TheArtofConsciousLiving 30 It ’sHappeninginAreaH 34 OntheAgenda COMMUNITYPEOPLE 8 KSSHonourStudents 18 OutoftheNest:BridgetteWatson 26 Images&Voices–DaleMcIntyre HEALTH 31 Health&WellnessMatters

THEREGULARS 39 Classifieds 40 IntheStars 41 BusinessInformationCentre 42-43 CommunityEvents44-46 AtYourServiceIndex&Businesses

TrekOn!withSharonatAmmoniteFalls

ComoxBreweryHopsIntoProduction

For now ... the question of de-staffing and decommissioning Canadian lighthouses, including our own on Chrome Island, is on hold but we still have to ask ... what would “Lighthouse Country” be without our “Lighthouse”? ~ Page 22

The world beckons the heart of an ‘Island girl’

/ April 2011 3

By Lisa Verbicky

Fran Lindner is a big fan of the high-five. Nothing better on the laid back West

Coast than bumping paws with a cohort when you’re blissed out. I admit I caught her gentle exuberance when we slapped hands over a cup of coffee, a mini-celebration she unleashed in me over a personal success of mine.

Dressed in jeans and a knit-scarf, she came into the cafe bangles jingling, with a slight spring in her red sneakers. Of course, wearing one of her own boldly printed “Big Rock” handbags, designed and created by her.

Fun and function sewn together in both purse and person.

Bubbly, grounded, hip, and focused, I am shocked when she tells me that she is a mother of four grown children and a grandmother. I’ll have what she’s having, which is apparently, a healthy dose of ‘doing what she loves’.

Lindner started making her unique bags four years ago when her daughter Emma wanted a book bag for college. Rather than going out to buy one, Lindner who says she’s always had a creative side, decided it would be fun to make one. Using funky materials she found at IKEA, the end result was a smash with Emma’s friends, and soon became a successful pilot project for her (Emma) at Business School.

“As part of the project we were forced to really look at what we had to offer, what would set us apart,” says Lindner, who is no newby to entrepreneurial endeavour having started and owned two companies. “It was all really playful.”

While Emma moved on after graduation, Lindner continued to grow the company, inviting customers to ‘play’ with their own creativity by designing their own mix and match bags online and in retail stores.

Here’s how it works. First, choose your bag, from Everyday, Book, or Catch-All/Diaper designs, available in a variety of high-quality fabrics sporting geometric patterns, Egyptian Leaves, Charcoal Branches, stripes, honeycombs, dots, bold flowers, and more. Each is finished with a big, one-of-a-kind ‘granny’ button. Then choose a strap, available in a variety of prints and solids. Finally, choose your funky inside pockets to hold change, cell phones, or sunglasses. Now here’s where the magic comes in – you

can even create your very own ‘Frannie’ Pack using your strap, which converts to a belt, and an inside pocket that comes with a belt-loop. Yes, the fanny pack is making a comeback.

“No two bags will be exactly alike,” says Lindner. “You get to add your own personality so that it is reflective of who you are.”

There’s also a lot of Fran in those bags. Named “Big Rock Bags” by her children who refer to Vancouver Island as, the ‘big rock’, Lindner’s designs are infused with family – each of her bags is named after one of her children or grandchildren, inspired by West Coast culture, and the people she’s met, and the experiences she’s had on her creative ride.

The “Big Rock” ride started on her mother’s old 1964 411G Singer Sewing Machine.

“It just felt so right being behind that machine,” says Lindner who has fond childhood memories of her ‘mum’ using it to patch jeans, make doll clothes, fashion drapes, and design first day of school outfits.

Since then, her bags have been a fixture at various artists markets, including a twelve day selling spree at the Olympics last year.

“That was such an amazing experience, everyone was so connected,” she says. “I’m a people person. I love that part about markets, just meeting and connecting with people. It’s also a super barometer for finding out how people feel about what I’m putting out there.”

Fran Lindner Lisa Verbicky photo

PLENTY OF PERSONALITY IN “BIG ROCK BAGS”

4 / April 2011

Linda Tenneyco-Publisher

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LOCALLY OWNED • COMMUNITY INSPIRED

Welcome to the ‘eve’ of our seventh anniversary of publishing the Beacon

Magazine. We have had a very full year expanding with the changes in our local communities and have increased our distribution coverage to include Parksville and Nanoose Bay – at the request of both the residential and business community.

For this to be possible, we’d like to express a bushel of gratitude to two of our newest members on the team, Margaret Reid and Elizabeth Cudmore – they have taken the reins and added their creativity to making sure that the needs of our readers are met with the timely arrival of the Beacon and that the visibility of the business community is brought to the forefront. We love it when we hear that you have acknowledged their care and attention to detail when you call into the office or meet them on the street...it makes us all feel that we are doing the right thing, every day.

We are excited about the value the next seven years will bring you, as your community magazine, and would like to put a thought on the table for your consideration from a collaborative perspective. We have provided a free magazine since it’s inception and now it’s no longer feasible to continue in this manner. For 4,300 residents, from Fanny Bay to Qualicum Beach, the Beacon arrives monthly in the mailbox and the remaining 4,000 copies are placed at over 150 locations to make it as convenient as possible for you to pick-up.

We’d love to work towards complete coverage but the cost of reaching out to you is becoming increasingly cost prohibitive and the current distribution options are not congruent

with preserving our ideal identity – as an independently owned community publication.

But wait! We’re not at the bottom of the barrel and with great optimism we feel there is a way to solve this...with your help. If you already have the Beacon delivered to your mailbox, free of charge – or you pick it up downtown, free of charge – we would like to invite your support by becoming an annual ‘patron of the Beacon’ or, most times lovingly referred to as a ‘volunteer subscriber’(see page 8).

Here’s the fun part, and the odds are way better than your chances on the Lotto Max...we have in our hands two tickets to the Denman Island Home and Garden Tour in May...if you e-mail, phone, mail or run into our office before April 30th with your subscription (and your $25)...into the hat goes your name for the drumroll of the draw at the end of the month. And we’re going out on a limb here to say that there will be an incentive every month for new subscribers-supporters from the community to join us.

As Ed Sullivan would have said “we’ve got a really big shew” for you this month from discovering the bold, entrepreneurial personality of Big Rock Bags – to what’s hoppin’ with In Seine Ale in the Valley – back to revisting our neighbourhood emergency preparedness in light of the devastating events in Japan – and forward to full smiles as we witness the journey of our Out of the Nest’er, Bridgette Watson, in Paris.

It’s the generosity of your community spirit that breathes life into the pages of the Beacon each month – for you there’s always a heartfelt thank you for providing the ‘inspiration’. ~

Sharon & Linda

/ April 2011 5

Glenda Neufeld, CTM, BBS, is excited to bring the Thermography Clinic to

Qualicum Beach! “Breast Thermography is a breakthrough imaging procedure where infrared images are analyzed and rated to determine the risk of developing breast cancer. A Doctor’s referral is not needed for this non-invasive, safe and painless procedure – no radiation or compression is used. It is one of the best early detection systems available today and this is key in preventation – it could be life-saving!” says Glenda. The clinic also offers infrared imaging applications for the identification and monitoring of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, chronic pain, musculoskeletal disorders and sports injuries – and more. Glenda encourages you to call the office (250-947-5424) located at 702 Beach Road, Qualicum Beach, to book an appointment; visit www.thermographyvancouverisland.com or e-mail thermographyvancouverisland.com for more information. Welcome to the community Glenda! Please refer to the Thermography Clinic ad on page 14.

Feeling at home in Oceanside where phrases such as cranial rhythmic impulse, mid-tide

and long-tide are flowed repeatedly, Darlene St Jacques of Nature’s Own Medical Clinic, is excited to offer her expertise as a Registered Cranial Sacral Therapist to her new community. With over 15 years of training Darlene is passionate about assisting you to bring about a new sense of health and balance by offering sessions in: Cranial Sacral Therapy

and Massage, Pre-Perinatal Psychology, Equine Therapy, Shock and Trauma Therapy and Family Constellation Sessions (to include children with special needs to live a more vibrant life through self-discovery and personal growth). Look for Darlene at the 16th Annual Family Health and Wellness Fair, April 9th, in Parksville, where she will be exhibiting Laterilazation Glasses – demonstrating how your brain stores memory into it’s different lobes. Nature’s Own Medical Clinic is located at 185 Sixth Avenue West, in Qualicum Beach – for more information, call 250-752-5842. All the best to you Darlene! Please see Darlene’s ad on page 23.

U-GOT-IT-MAID, a new residential cleaning service in the Oceanside

area, is now accepting new clients. Owners Judy and Pat Davey strive to provide professional cleaning services at competitive prices. “Choosing a cleaning contractor is an important decision. Let us provide the high quality services that you need to keep your home looking great! We will find dirt in areas others have missed. Our goal is to get a home to a high level of cleanliness and keep it there.” They take pride in their dedication to exceptional customer service and attention to detail. Judy and Pat offer weekly or bi-weekly general cleaning, and extra services such as window washing, organizing, staging, and move in/move out – to clients from Deep Bay to Nanaimo.

U-Got-it Maid can be reached at 250-752-0124 or u-got-it-maid@hotmail.ca. Go for the gusto with your spring cleaning! Please refer to Judy and Pat’s ad on page 29.

What happens when two creative minds collaborate in Lighthouse Country?

A ‘growth’ industry is born! Wham Bam Boo – the brainchild of Earl Wiegand and Jeanette Brennen – is a bamboo nursery now open in Bowser. Earl tells us that the cuttings he has nurtured, from plants selected three years ago, are now looking for new homes. Wham Bam Boo is offering choices of bamboo species from rare and delicate plants, to robust six foot ‘babies’, providing a range of varieties suitable for indoor and outdoor placements. Please call the nursery for an appointment and directions 250-757-8724.

News from Bill and Gillian Purdy, of Qualicum Village Winery, “We are

retiring! We have had a wonderful nine years of making wine, making friends, lots of conversation and laughter and good fun! As of April 1st, Adam and Andrea MacKinnon, formerly of The Courtyard Café, will be helping you produce the same luscious wines and will add their own personal refinements to the process. We will be assisting Adam and Andrea over the next few weeks in the transition so please drop in. We both want to express to you, our sincere thanks for your custom and loyalty, and for

... FROM THE COMMUNITY

Custom

DesignResidential & Commercial

custom design, design consultingrenovations and drafting

Rina Knoesen250.757.8407

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Architectural

continued on page 9

6 / April 2011

ISLAND HOPPING

Although they make a pretence of grumbling about it, most Denman

Islanders are quite content for their Island to be known as “that place you drive through to get to Hornby Island.” They don’t want the crowds that come with popularity, and are generally glad to hide out at the end of their long driveways, safeguarding their privacy. But once every two years that reserve is tossed aside and the Island invites the world right in – not just to public spaces like the Community Hall, but into the treasured private sanctuaries of a carefully-selected group of Island residents.

This is the Denman Island Home and Garden Tour, now a bi-annual event in its 19th year, which takes place May 7th and 8th. Typically, around 1,500 guests come not just from around BC but from all over the world. Some are looking for gardening

and homebuilding inspiration; others simply enjoy the tour as a delightful day-trip or weekend getaway.

The homes and gardens are of course the big draw, but visitors also enjoy getting a sense of what life is like on a small Gulf Island. Statistics about the Island tell us it has one of the highest ratios of artists per capita, and this creativity is certainly apparent on the Tour.

For instance, Marc Randall and John Tallerino are both artists, and their property is infused with their creativity and shaped by their aesthetic discernment. Visitors can park on the main road along the ocean, and walk up to the house along a woodland path dotted with Tallerino’s exquisitely beautiful shrines, set in among the cedars and firs like magical artifacts.

by Laura Busheikin

DENMAN ISLAND HOME AND GARDEN TOUR

If you imagine a hobbit-house that, thankfully, is not underground, you might have in your mind’s eye something like Randall and Tallerino’s charming home, open to the public for the first time this year after a careful renovation. Close to the house is the art studio, which showcases Tallerino’s shrines and Randall’s delicately-detailed hand-made books. The studio itself is an incredible work of art, elaborately painted with patterns and symbols throughout – including floors and ceiling – like a Faberge egg.

The garden reflects the owners’ philosophy of respect for the local ecosystem and their desire to create a natural look. They have worked carefully with native species such

photo caption

continued on page 11

“Acharmingred-brickpath,stoneretainingwalls,

colourfulperennials,andhand-craftedarbourwork

togethertocreateanidyllicsettinginTobeyandMikell

Callahan’sgarden,ontheDenmanHomeandGarden

Tourthisyear.”LauraBusheikinphoto

/ April 2011 7

OFFERING MORE THAN JUST MOVIESBOWSER VIDEO SHOWCASE

There is a whole lot of entertainment packed into the tiny space that serves as home to

Bowser Video Showcase. The thousands of movies offered by Tara and Dave Kelsberg run the gamut from adventure to horror themes, although Tara says that comedy and action flicks are the most-often requested.

“We have a huge selection of rentals,” says Tara, “and our choice of movies for sale is also very extensive. We offer previously viewed movies as well as new ones for sale. And, we can order in titles at discounted cost for patrons to purchase, which helps people who may be looking for an old title that is no longer readily available.”

Bowser Video Showcase also rents video games, and is working hard to enhance that sector of the business. In addition, the Kelsbergs have a disc repair machine in the shop that removes scratches from discs.

“We use it to clean up our used discs before we offer them for sale,” says Tara, “and we also do work on damaged discs that customers bring in to us for repair.”

The shop offers a small selection of snack foods, but plans are afoot for something new in thia venue too. The Kelsbergs are planning to bring in a wide range of vintage candy, hopefully in time for the summer season.

Other income streams are generated through the store’s agency for Oceanside Dry Cleaning, which allow customers to drop-off and pick-up twice a week, and through sales of a wide range of phone cards and video game live cards.

Although Bowser Video Showcase has been in existence for more than a decade, the Kelsbergs have only owned it for the past three years. The young family had moved from Edmonton, Alberta to Bowser about five years ago and was looking for a small business that would let Tara get out of the house for a few hours a week. She had worked in a video store as a teenager, and the prospect of having the opportunity to better get to know her new community appealed.

Although the business has been a survivor through all its years, the recent economic downturn and the introduction of Netflix and cable service movies has hit hard. Tara estimates that revenues at Bowser Video have dropped 50 per cent in the past year. The Kelsbergs continue to employ four local residents on a part-time basis, but have cut operating hours in an attempt to reduce costs and keep their doors open. Losing movie discs and video games through theft or damage is also a major financial hit for the business. Rented movies not returned on time also result in loss of revenue. Despite all that, though, Tara and Dave are committed to Bowser and its’ residents.

“All of my customers are awesome,” says Tara. “We adore Bowser.”

Bowser Video Showcase is located in Magnolia Court at 6996 West Island Highway. The shop is open from 12 noon to 8 pm seven days a week.

Island People is sponsored this month by Union Bay Credit Union, please see their ad on page 42 of this edition of The Beacon.

by Shirley Culpin

ISLANDPEOPLECONNECTED BY THE COMMON THREAD OF COMMUNITY

101-177 Weld St., Parksville

HOURS: Tues-Sat 10-5Closed Sunday & Monday

Vintage Bath

Soap & Candle

Receive 1 FREE bar ofROCKY MOUNTAIN SOAPwith a min. purchase of $25

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Tara & Dave Kelsberg with their two children Carleigh and Kynan

LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY EVENTSListen to Linda Tenney and Dave Graham chat about what’s going on in Lighthouse Country on the 1st Thursday of each month at 8:40am on Island Radio’s 88.5FM The Beach Radio, or listen online at cibh.streamon.fm

8 / April 2011

“Dr. Ian and Maggie Smith of Qualicum Beach congratulate the Honour Students and wish them well in their educational pursuits.”

HONOUR STUDENTS OF KWALIKUM SECONDARY SCHOOL

Over the next several months, we will introduce the Grade 12 Kwalikum Secondary students who are currently completing their achievement requirements for induction into the Qualicum Beach Honours Society. “The Directors of the Society believe that our community benefits when our youth strive for excellence.” To find out how you can support their endeavours, please contact KSS Principal, Jesse Witte at (250) 752-5651.

“The roots of achievement lie in the will to become the best you can become.” ~ Harold Taylor.

MONICA KUUNMy time at KSS has been filled with positive memories and experiences. Thank you to my teachers, friends, and loving family for supporting me throughout the years. My involvement within the school and community has provided me with the skills and knowledge for a successful future. I

plan on attending UVic in the fall to further explore my goals, and continue my passions for music, travel, volunteering, and ballroom dancing.

BRONTE MCKENZIEI can’t believe I’m finally graduating! It has been a great four years at KSS preparing for my post-secondary education with many wonderful memories along the way. I plan on taking a year-off after highschool and travelling, then going to VIU for my Bachelors of Science degree which will hopefully help with my ultimate goal of

going to UBC for either Dentistry or Medicine. I can’t wait to see what the future holds. “Shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” Brian Littrell

DAHLIEAEVELYNE GREEVEOver these past few years, the meaning of the word “achievement” has changed for me in my life. At first, it was about perfectionism, acquiring high grades, and proving myself to others. Now – after going

through personal challenges, being inspired by exceptional people, and finding strength in faith and friendship – “achievement” means accepting my faults, embracing my strengths, and proving to myself that anything is possible.

BRETT GENOEFirstly, I would like to thank all my friends and teachers for a wonderful four years of schooling. I know that when looking back on my high school experience, it will be full of good memories. However, I am very excited to move on. I know Kwalikum

did a very good job preparing me for the future. Thank you.

/ April 2011 9

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all the fun that we have had together! Not good-bye but Au Revoir!” Happy retirement to the Purdy’s and to the MacKinnon’s, all the best of success in your new venture!

A tag-line can say a lot about a business in just a few words – in choosing “I’ll love your pet like my own” owner Jesse

Lajeunesse encapsulates her promise of attention to patient and loving care when taking care of the grooming needs of your pet. Paws of Parksville is located at 194 Hamilton Avenue in Parksville – a full service shop offering compassionate one-on-one service in a calm, clean, safe environment. “Your dog’s needs and the owner’s special requests come first. I offer quick grooming sessions, flexible grooming times (evenings, weekends, holidays) and include the use of natural shampoos.” Please call Jesse for an appointment at 250-927-3776 and refer to her ad on page 11. ~

Biz Banter - continued from page 5

LOCAL CALLING AREA CONNECTS COMMUNITIES OF BOWSER & UNION BAYResidents of Bowser in the Regional District of Nanaimo and

Union Bay in the Comox Valley Regional District are making fewer long distance calls lately, thanks to a new local calling area established by TELUS and the two Regional Districts. Prior to March 2011, residents living on the border of the two Regional Districts were charged long distance rates to place calls between the communities.

The new local calling area took effect on March 8, 2011.

“Connecting these two communities was especially important because of the social aspect of things,” said RDN Electoral Area H Director Dave Bartram. “Geographically, this local calling area makes good sense. Now that TELUS has enabled us to establish this service, all of the residents in this vicinity can go about their daily business without having to call long distance. They can call the stores in the commercial village centre of Bowser, they can call the Legion—and they can call each other as well.”

In accordance with the process set out by the federal CRTC for expanding local calling areas, residential customers in the area will pay TELUS a surcharge of $3 per year for the first three years of the service. After three years, the surcharge will cease to apply. ~

10 / April 2011

“I Only Drink Beer on Days that End in Y”, the tee-shirt boldly boasts. The

wearer must have discovered Surgenor Brewing Company’s craft beer, produced in an impressive state of the art facility in Comox.

Early breweries were almost always built on multiple storeys with equipment on higher floors used in the production process so that gravity could assist with the product from one stage to the other. And it was labour intensive as well. Not so Surgenor. Operated by only two people, 42-year-old Bob Surgenor and his brew master, Martin Eschbaumer, 31, with help on packaging days from family and friends, the brewery produces four distinct beers, Red House Ale, Steam Donkey Lager, In Seine Pale Ale and #8 Shaft Black Lager in their lauter/mash tun, brew kettle and tanks all operated from graphic terminals mounted on the brewer’s platform and in the brew house control room. It was fascinating to observe Bob controlling the various processes with the touch of a finger!

The names of his beers all reflect Comox Valley resource themes and immigration. Their signature Red House Ale has a family connection. “Emigrating from Northern Ireland to the Comox Valley in 1887 in search of a better life, my great grandfather, Robert Surgenor passed down a saying: Do everything as if it were the last thing you do, and you will be remembered well.” Bob said. “It is with that same hard work and perseverance that I created Red House Ale.” This brew is an intense amber colour with a full flavour body of citrusy hop character and a fine floral aroma. He explains that the name Steam Donkey Lager is what they call their working beer, with a dash of West Coast history. The steam donkey was a steam powered winch invented in 1881, used mostly in logging operations on the West Coast where the rugged terrain made it the work horse of the logging industry. Richly coloured with a full malt flavour and orangey sweetness, this working beer is fashioned after the traditional Czech pilsner.

As a connoisseur of puns I love this beer label: above a sketch of a fishing boat is the logo IN SEINE Pale Ale! In explaining the name, Bob says that “long hours, hard work

By Carolyn Walton

and bad weather are enough to keep most people on land. But if you ask commercial fishermen about fishing for a living they will tell you a different story. They will tell you about the breath-taking beauty of the open ocean, about the great excitement of a good catch and about the personal satisfaction of a hard day’s work. Fishermen are self-reliant, strong and adventurous. So it’s with that “never quit” attitude we present In Seine Pale Ale. Brew number four is a dark lager, aptly named #8 SHAFT Black Lager which produced coal for export in the Comox Valley until 1953. It’s a tribute to the hard work and sacrifice of Vancouver Islanders who toiled beneath the ground.”

According to Bavarian-trained German brew master Martin Eschbaumer, from Munich, Germany “Good beer is made with four ingredients: barley, water, hops and yeast.” Gristing, brewing, fermenting, lagering, aging are all processes needed to produce these beers. Fermenting takes three to four weeks for ales, four to six for lagers. Surgenor uses “glacier fresh” Comox Valley water and designer hops grown in the

Pacific Northwest for Steam Donkey lager but imports hops from Czechoslovakia for the In Seine pale ale. There are four gigantic stainless steel fermenting tanks each of which can produce 75,000 bottles of beer.

Bob points out that although the new drink/drive laws have severely reduced beer sales “if the Canucks are winning, we sell more beer!” The Surgenor family is heavily involved in hockey. Bob’s wife, Angie Williams, is president of the Comox Valley Minor Hockey league, Bob coaches Happy’s Source for Sports Chiefs Midgets team which he proudly tells us won the Tier 1 Island Championship in March and one son is in the provincial playoffs. It’s no surprise then, to see framed photos of Howie Meeker prominently displayed in the lobby giving his opinion of Surgenor beer: “It’s the cat’s ass!” ~

Want to wet your whistle with a pint of Red House Ale draught? You’ll find it on tap at Micky J’s Lounge at Arrowsmith Golf & Country Club.

Surgenor Brewing Company Limited 861 Shamrock Place,Comox 250-339-9947

COMOX BREWERY HOPS INTO PRODUCTION OF CRAFT BEERS

Bob Surgenor of Surgenor Brewing Company in Comox

Carolyn Walton photo

/ April 2011 11

as grasses and ferns, augmented with flowering perennials and annuals. Most of it is unfenced, which means these very experienced gardeners have explored the many nuances of the term “deer proof”.

On the Tour for the first time this year is painter Dawn Stofer. Her uncluttered, light-filled home doubles as a gallery, with her paintings displayed throughout and a Michael Dennis sculpture dominating the front lawn, which opens out to a breathtaking ocean view. Visitors are welcome to take a good look around her painting studio to get an insight into the creative process of this prolific artist.

Stofer’s garden is, to a large extent, defined by her passion for beekeeping. She says she’ll plant anything that bees love, and she often lets her plants go to seed instead of cutting them back, to provide more blooms for the bees. The result is lush, colourful, and a bit wild. The hives will also be on view and she plans to have printed material about her beekeeping operation.

Also new this year are Tracey Horovaten and Shayne Barker. Their newly-built straw-bale farmhouse is decorated throughout with Horovaten’s sculpted, collaged murals, using bits of tile, mirror, shells, and objects, including cutlery and dishes, in fanciful and beautiful ways. Barker, a European-trained woodworker, contributes his gorgeous cabinetry and woodworking throughout.

Most people would agree that gardening is itself an artform, and this is clearly evident in the garden of Jimmy Tait, who at 90, is a revered elder of the Denman gardening community. Her garden was on the very first Home and Garden Tour back in 1991, and has always been one of the favourites over the years.

Founded in 1978, Tait’s garden is ablaze with colour in the spring. The bright blooms of her famed rhododendrons and azaleas are accompanied by masses of bluebells, many species of primrose, viburnum, yellow and orange Welsh poppies and fawn lilies, and much more. She estimates that there are at least 1,000 different plant species in her garden!

Altogether, there are ten wonderful and diverse properties on the Tour this year. Many of them manifest the creative talents the Island is known for, others reflect its farming roots and self-sufficiency values. Wandering around homes and gardens tends to work up an appetite, so you’ll probably want to stop by the Community Hall for home-made lunches.

For more information and to order tickets contact Shonna Janeway at 250-335-1551, email denmanisland.hgt@gmail.com or go to www.denmanisland.com/.

The Denman Home & Garden Tour raises funds for the Denman Conservancy Association, a community non-profit organization which over the years has succeeded in protecting over 700 acres of land, including sensitive habitat such as Canada’s only breeding grounds for the endangered Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly. ~

continued from page 6

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194 Hamilton Ave., Parksville

250-927-3776 JESSE LAJEUNESSECertifi ed Groomer

12 / April 2011

AMMONITE FALLSBy Sharon Waugh

Leisure is a form of silence, not noiselessness. It is the silence of contemplation such as occurs when we let our minds rest on a rosebud, a child at play, a Divine mystery, or a waterfall. ~ Fulton J. Sheen

Start: Near the base of Mount Benson, Nanaimo.

Distance: Approximately 5 km or one hour roundtrip.

Guide: A simple map can be downloaded from www.nanaimoinformation.com/images/ammonite-falls/ammonite-falls-map-apr07.jpg

Trailhead Directions: From Highway 19 in Nanaimo (the Parkway) take the northend Jingle Pot Road turnoff, turn right onto Kilpatrick Road, then right again on Jameson Road, follow Jameson to the end as it turns from pavement to gravel. Park on the side of the road up to the closed yellow gate (don’t block the gate). The route starts behind the gate.

We’re lucky in small communities to have gathering places where short,

but meaningful conversations, keep you in touch with the messages that local drums are sending out. It was at one of these crossroads, our post office in Bowser, that I was hand-delivered the destination of this month’s trek along with my mail. “Have you been to Ammonite Falls near Mount Benson?” queried Brenda. “It is absolutely stunning.” I was intrigued – the mail was tossed on the desk, a ‘consult with the google’ was put into play to verify directions and trekking plans fell into place as my coffee mug was being filled by the adverturesome barista, Rauchelle, next door. Quick to volunteer to accompany me, I knew that I was going to be the fortunate one to hear more about how her plans were unfolding for her solo trek on the Appalacian Trail this summer.

The route to Ammonite Falls starts in the managed forest of the University of Vancouver Island Woodlot, following

a logging road and then narrowing to a single-track trail that is marked with a small wooden sign “Ammonite Falls”. Mountain bike trails riddle the area so the best advice is to take the simple line drawing map from the Nanaimo Informaton site with you, cross-reference with the location of Benson Creek and simply, listen for the falls. The first viewpoint of the falls is ‘stunning’ – a cascade of water sheeting ten metres across a smooth rock bottom before falling twenty metres into a deep pool sending clouds of cool mist into the air.

The trail then steeply descends to the base of the falls; traversing the last thirty metres of muddy slopes assisted by a secure, knotted rope to help you with your footing. While basking in the spray from the falls, peaking the lens of the camera out from under my jacket, I documented the playful exploration of my trekking pal as she forded the numbing creek waters, scampering up the slippery shale talus to disappear behind a ‘wall of white’ on a narrow ledge behind the falls.

Why is it called Ammonite Falls? The path of Benson Creek has cut through a sedimentary matrix that hails back to the days of Paleozoic and Mesozoic oceans – 65 to 400 million years ago. As water erosion breaks down the layers in the ravine walls, concretions embedding fossilized sea-creatures are exposed. Ammonites are an extinct group of marine invertebrate animals, class Cephalopoda, more closely related to today’s octopus, squid and cuttlefish. They are perhaps the most widely known fossil, found on every continent, and because of their rapid evolution and wide-spread distribution they are an excellent tool for indexing and dating rocks. The name originates from the Greek Ram-horned god called Ammon and it has been thought that the original Olympic discus used by ancient Greeks was a fossilized ammonite!

After reading several blogs of hikers accounts of their visits to this location, I do agree that it is one of Nanaimo’s best kept secrets...but maybe not for long...it’s now on my summer swimming-hole itinerary! ~

/ April 2011 13

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by Linda Tenney

Pets so easily become part of our lives and families, and it’s heartbreaking

when their short time with us comes to an end.

It’s a fact of life that our animal companions will pass on, and we will need to make decisions about their cremation or burial.

Leaving them in the hands of a veterinarian is the most common choice, often because pet owners aren’t aware of alternative options. If you live in a rural area, for example, you may choose to take your pet home for burial on your property – as long as it’s not near a water source.

When our cat Wedgie died a few years ago, I opted for cremation, and chose a small white urn for her ashes. I was there for her death, cradling her in my arms as she took her last breath. It was such a sad moment. I rescued her from a back alley in Vancouver when she was just a kitten, and she’d been my constant companion for ten years. Now she was gone.

My veterinarian asked, “Would you like to take Wedgie home, or would you like to have her cremated?” I handed Wedgie to her, wrapped in a small yellow blanket. Her ashes were returned to me three weeks later.

I wondered where she would be taken for cremation, but I didn’t ask the question.

Zoom forward three years, and meet Steve and Tammy Johnson of Vancouver Island Animal Crematorium near Courtenay. When Steve’s dog died a few years ago, he did ask that question and found that few options existed. Steve wanted assurances that his pet’s ashes would be returned to him, but no

COMPASSION AND CARING FOR OUR ANIMAL COMPANIONS

Vancouver Island Pet Crematorium Linda Tenney photo

continued on page 41

one would guarantee that the ashes returned would be the right ones. Steve took his dog home and buried him under a tree on his land instead.

/ April 2011 15

By Marc LaCouvée

You’re shopping for your new home and you’re assessing what you can

afford. You take a look at your bank account balances to see how much cash you have available for a down payment. But as you’re finalizing your home buying budget, don’t forget these other “end” expenses you’ll encounter before you settle into your new home.

Property Transfer Tax: Property transfer tax is different from property tax, the money you pay every year for services you receive from your local government. In BC, property transfer tax must be paid whenever you purchase a property and register the title change with the Land Title Office.

Harmonized Sales Tax: If the home you choose is newly constructed, you may be subject to HST on the purchase price. When the BC government introduced the HST in 2010, they also began a rebate program for new housing purchased as a primary residence. The purpose of the rebate program is to ensure that, on average, buyers of new homes up to $525,000 do not pay any additional tax due to harmonization.

Property Tax: If the sellers of the property you are buying have already paid the full year’s property taxes to the municipal government, you will have to reimburse them for your share of the year’s taxes.

BUYING A HOME IN BC CLOSING COSTS GO BEYOND THE PURCHASE PRICE

Appraisal Fee: Most banks will not grant a loan without a home appraisal. Depending on the lending institution you choose to work with, you may be responsible for fees related to the pre-loan home appraisal. These costs typically vary according to the type and size of the property and the experience level of the appraiser.

Survey Fee: Your bank may also require a survey certificate for the property you are buying. The purpose of the survey is to formally define the boundaries of the property and ensure that all buildings are within those boundaries. The seller will often already have a survey but if a new survey is required it will likely cost approximately $300.

Mortgage Application Fee: In certain cases, especially if you are applying for a high-ratio mortgage, there may be a fee for filing the mortgage application. A high-ratio mortgage applies when your down payment is less than 20% of the purchase price of the home.

Mortgage Default Insurance: Mortgage default insurance is required on most mortgage loans greater than 75% of the appraised home value. Its purpose is to ensure that the lender will not lose any money if you cannot make your mortgage payments and the value of your home is not sufficient to repay your mortgage debt. The premium is paid to the lender.

Life & Disability Mortgage Insurance: Life & Disability mortgage insurance is optional. Mortgage life insurance allows your family to live mortgage-free should anything happen to you or your spouse. Disability coverage varies but typically would involve your monthly mortgage payments being paid for a certain period of time.

Fire & Liability Insurance: Fire & Liability insurance will be required by your lender to ensure that in the event of fire, the lender will receive the balance owing on the mortgage loan before you receive any insurance proceeds.

Legal Fees: You should engage a lawyer or notary public to act on your behalf during the completion of your home purchase. Your lawyer will advise you through the purchase process, record the transfer of home ownership in the Land Title and Survey Authority Office, prepare and register your mortgage documents and so on.

If you have questions about how much you can afford for a new home, please don’t hesitate to contact me to discuss. You can reach me easily by phone, 250-752-2466 or email, marc@realestatequalicum.com. Happy house hunting! ~Marc LaCouvee was born and raised on Vancouver Island. He is a REALTOR and is a Dad. He has spent his lifetime exploring this great paradise. Whether supporting Oceanside Minor Hockey, other local organizations or attending PAC meetings, Marc is committed to community, his family and the area that he and his children live in. Marc works for RE/MAX Anchor Realty in Qualicum Beach. www.MarcLaCouvee.com

PROMOTION

16 / April 2011

By Shirley Culpin

We went out of a sense of duty. We came away with a sense of community.

When the posters for emergency preparedness workshops appeared on the mailboxes in our neighbourhood my husband and I felt that we should attend, not with any particular joy in our hearts, but because we should. What we weren’t expecting was that the process of preparing for a potential emergency would be simple, straightforward and mercifully brief. It required a couple of two-hour meetings at our small community hall, a few minutes on the computer and the effort to compile our personal emergency supplies.

The Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program (NEPP) is run by the Regional District of Nanaimo and is facilitated by Bob Dendoff, a veteran in dealing with emergencies ranging from raging floods to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Bob has been involved in the field of emergency response since 1977, including fifteen years with the Canadian and American Red Cross. He conducts the two-hour workshops for the RDN on a

continued on next page

Lindner also finds inspiration in the artists she’s met along the way who have been able to marry their passion with making a living, she says.

“I want to grow my business organically so that I don’t kill the creative process,” she says. “One time I was reading an Elle Magazine that said the next big colour was red. So, I went heavy on red that season, and realized that I was far better off to just follow my own intuition, being guided by what appeals to me and what I would wear, instead of what is new and in vogue.”

She even goes by gut when it comes to where she sells her bags, choosing those cool little shops in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Squamish, Quadra Island, Ontario, and yes, right here in Bowser. Thanks, Fran...we are now ‘cool’ in Area H.

“It’s funny because it seems that where I feel the best, is where my bags sell the best,” she says.

Today, her open-minded, people-centered business strategy is proving successful. Growing online and retail demand for her

bags means that she is now using a small manufacturer in Vancouver to build the bags, while she adds the finishing touches in her Nanoose Bay studio.

She’s also working on a new design for a “Klaus” Bag, named after her 23 year-old son.

Business is constantly evolving, she says.

“You have to embrace the challenges and accept change.”

The biggest challenge for the seemingly take-it-as-it-comes businesswoman is finding a local source for the beautiful, high-quality fabric she needs to give Big Rock Bags the big bang in terms of value, style, and functionality.

As a result, Lindner, a big interior design fan, has set aside part of her time to explore creating her her own textiles. And, by no coincidence, she says, she just happened to discover a portfolio of her mother’s that contained textile designs.

“It is funny sometimes, when you are not even aware of it, that by expanding your creativity and following your heart, you can

end up full circle, back at the the passions or gifts that your parents possessed.”

Having faith and being comfortable with not knowing is one part of the creative ride, she says. Everyone has the potential to create the life they love, she says.

Being grateful is the other.

“Art allows you to dig into yourself, to grow, to be inspired and to inspire others. I’m grateful that I’ve had the chance and it’s been a nice, full life so far.” ~

For more information visit www.bigrockbags.com, or drop in to the Salish Sea Market in Magnolia Court, Bowser.

continued from page 3

Bob Dendoff with one of the many area maps that he relies on for the NEPP program

Shirl

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oto

MINIMAL EFFORT REQUIREDNEIGHBOURHOOD EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM PULLS COMMUNITIES TOGETHER

/ April 2011 17

continued from previous page According to Bob a neighbourhood with as few as eight to twelve homes can benefit from this program. Meetings can be set up at a community hall, a private home, a school – virtually anywhere that can accommodate residents, Bob’s slide show and flip charts, and his extensive displays of suggested emergency preparedness items. The program is specifically designed to be user-friendly and very flexible and adaptable.

“The advantage with NEPP is that the neighbourhood owns its program,” he points out. “You know your community better than anyone. This isn’t government-run or controlled, it’s self-directed. It will help make you self-sufficient until the official agencies can get to you to help.”

Bob’s extensive experience in emergencies is also a huge asset to those neighbourhoods participating in the NEPP program. He has a practiced eye that will spot potential hazards that may not be obvious to those living right in their midst.

“Every group I have worked with has figured out potential problems unique to their area,” says Bob. “That gives them just a little bit more security and awareness.”

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And that old saw about being prepared to be self-sufficient for 72 hours? Forget it, advises Bob, and be ready to deal with whatever comes along in an emergency situation for at least a week. Clearly, the large population centres will be the first to receive the attention of emergency response teams. That means that those of us living in outlying areas may have to wait. Preparation through NEPP can help make that wait survivable.

The other benefit to the NEPP program is the peace of mind that it brings. Knowing that your neighbourhood has thoughtfully evaluated its assets and deficiencies and is as well-prepared as it can be brings a sense of connectedness and security. In an emergency situation, that is no small thing.

For further information on the NEPP program, or to arrange workshops for your neighbourhood, please contact Bob Dendoff by telephone at 250-240-2300, or via e-mail at bobdendoff@yahoo.ca A minimum of 10 people is required to book a workshop. ~

Editors’ Note: don’t miss the Emergency Preparedness Open House on May 1st at the Bowser Legion. See Below for details.

contract basis, at the request of individual communities.

“The success of the program is borne out of the neighbourhood itself,” says Bob. “It has been proven time and time again that if you are prepared, even with the basics of neighbourhood involvement, you are much better off, both physically and psychologically. The NEPP is designed to ensure that you can at least stay in your home, or at worst, within your neighbourhood.”

Because every neighbourhood is different, part of the meeting focus is on identifying whatever resources its residents may be able to offer. An inventory of physical items – boats, all-terrain vehicles, horses, generators, as a few examples – is a part of this process. Participants also catalogue skill sets that can be valuable in an emergency situation. Everything from construction expertise and first aid to feeding people and pet caretaking falls within the realm. A central meeting place is identified. All of these assets are compiled by a volunteer scribe and are kept confidential, but available in a state of emergency.

18 / April 2011

Bridgette Watson (Bowser Elementary School, Qualicum Beach Middle School, Kwalikum Secondary School ’02) is in Paris studying at the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris. The school Motto of “Excellence, Innovation, Diversite” could also be used to describe Bridgette, and the paths she has traveled to be just where she is today.

After high school I knew I wanted to complete a university degree, but after

trying different programs at different schools I couldn’t find anything that felt right to me. The expense and the need to be motivated in one particular direction was overwhelming. I decided to take a break from school and get some perspective on what I wanted from a post-secondary education.

I traveled to Australia and then worked in Vancouver as my own Public Relations sub-contractor. It was intimidating and fast-paced work, but I loved it. However, after three years I realized that if I wanted to advance in that career or pursue any other, I needed to return to school.

I did it slowly. I started at Langara College and studied anything that interested me: film, literature and creative writing. Then I took an International Relations course and realized I had found something that truly inspired me. The first research paper I wrote on Human Sex Trafficking Legislation won an award, giving me the opportunity attend the Canadian International Council’s Annual Foreign Affairs Conference in Toronto. From that point on, I knew this was the academic route for me. I transferred to UBC’s International Relations program and am currently completing my final year of that degree program. Studying in Paris this year will delay graduation for me – but it is absolutely worth it.

Living in Paris is a dream. In the last few years I have become really interested in fashion photography and the fashion and magazine industry – so being at the centre of that world is incredible. I know it seems a bit strange when my academic focus is IR, but ideally I would like to find a medium that allows me to do all the things I love –

writing, research, editing and design. I think the magazine industry could provide this outlet, but who knows how it will unfold? I just know it is possible to pursue several dreams rather than have one career plan for life.

I was so blessed to grow up with supportive parents who are still crazy in love and a constant inspiration to me. The help I had from people as a kid growing up in District 69 has also been inspirational. Hopefully, one day I will be in a position to help other little girls from Bowser afford their soccer registration, or their art classes, or help them with bursaries to pursue their post-secondary goals. Without the support I got from the Bowser Legion after high school, it would have been difficult for me to finance my first college classes.

As for now, I may be in Paris, but I will always be an Island girl. I have been fortunate to see a lot of the world, but nowhere is nicer than the Deep Bay Spit or Sunny Beach. ~

By Rita Levitz

subm

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Bridgette Watson

THANK YOU TO GOOD SAMARITANS

On the evening of March 4th around 8 pm, our loving cat “Tiggy” was hit

by a car and died. A very good samaritan and her daughter cared for our dying Tiggy overnight and very lovingly returned him to us Saturday morning.

We were so upset, we did not ask their names and would like to make contact and thank them again. Thanks, Gail & Wayne Morrison (250) 757-9721.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

The owners of the Beacon Counter, Sheila and Darrell Hutchison, and their

wonderful staff, would like to thank our loyal customers who have made our first

year a great success! We are now proud to offer, only, fair trade, organic coffee. We have made some interior changes and hope for your patience as we continue to renovated and renew. We hope to continue to serve our community for many years to come.

HEAD SHAVE FOR CANCER

The Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department’s annual Head Shave for

Cancer will be held on April 10th at the Dashwood Fire Hall, 230 Hobbs Road. The shaving is from 10 am to 1 pm (longer if required). The head shave is a major fundraiser for the Oceanside Canadian Cancer Society with over $34,000 being raised in the past five events. We have tremendous support from our firefighters, their families and friends as well as the

local community. We always have other fire departments participating with full heads of hair and generous donations. This is a truly Oceanside event and anyone is welcome to participate or to drop by and watch the excitment.

We have the same professional barbers as the past few years and they will shave as many men and women as arrive. We thank Evelyn, from Evelyn’s Barber Shop, and Cheryle, from The Bayside Salon, for their continued support and expertise. Pledge forms are available in advance from the fire department and to pledge online please go to http://cancerevents.kintera.org/2011dashwoodheadshave.

For more information please call the fire hall 250 752-5434 or the event coordinator Harvey Twidale at 250 752-9882.

20 / April 2011

along with two biologists from Vancouver Island University will be on hand to point out, explain, and answer questions.

There will be a table of Marsh specimens for visitors to inspect, and for the youngsters the end of their explorations will reward them with an Easter egg and a certificate vouching for their Pond Sloshing expertise.

Okay, it’s not a pond exactly; you might call it a bog, a slough, a swamp, a fen,

or a marsh. Each of these has somewhat different characteristics from the other, but for this “pond”, Hamilton Marsh is its official name.

Just minutes from Qualicum Beach, and a short drive from anywhere in Oceanside, Hamilton Marsh is the largest wetland between Nanaimo, Cumberland, and Port Alberni. Surrounded by second growth forest owned by Island Timberlands, the marsh is the largest body of water in the French Creek Watershed.

In 2004, a well-attended meeting resulted in the formation of a Hamilton Marsh committee under the umbrella of the Friends of French Creek Conservation Society (FFCCS). This group is a grassroots collection of people involved with protecting and repairing the natural environment and the Marsh is an important feature of their activities.

The major thrust of the Marsh committee is to raise people’s awareness of the Marsh and its critical importance to its watershed and to the wildlife which makes it their home.

To this end, the FFCCS in conjunction with the annual spring Brant Festival have organized a day of tours of the Marsh which they call “The Pond Slosh”.

From 10 am till 2 pm, in groups of ten, adults and/or children (in rubber boots, of course) will be led from the parking lot, along the wooded trail to the Marsh. To acquaint newcomers with the Marsh, naturalists Hans Boerger from Parksville’s Craig Museum and his wife Carol Redl,

By Nancy Whelan

continued next page

Hamilton Marsh Ceri Peacey photo

HOW ABOUT A POND SLOSHHOW ABOUT A POND SLOSH

/ April 2011 21

So what is so special about a marsh or a wetland? At one time they were considered a nuisance, something to be filled in, covered up, built upon. Unfortunately, marshes and their surroundings may still be thought of as expendable.

Marshes are constantly working to keep our environment in balance. They filter water, they act as a carbon sink for pollutants in the air; during dry periods they hold on to water and in times of flood act as sponges. They work to reduce sediment levels and toxic chemicals in the water.

Hamilton Marsh contributes to the French Creek Watershed via Hamilton Creek, a tributary to French Creek itself, and 8,000 or more people depend on that watershed for their drinking water.

Then there are the denizens of the Marsh itself. A waterfowl breeding survey by the Canadian Wildlife Service showed that of thirty-two marshes studied in the central Island area, Hamilton Marsh was the most productive waterfowl breeding marsh.

The Marsh has resident Cutthroat Trout and Coho Salmon as well as Three Spine Stickleback. A variety of frogs and salamanders live in or around the Marsh and it has been identified as an exceptional dragonfly habitat.

The Marsh depends heavily on the surrounding forest for its health and a number of animals including Black Bears and the odd Grey Wolf depend, in turn, on the forest and its nearby source of water.

Over 120 species of birds have been sighted and recorded at the Marsh and all the local species of owls can be found there. Sometimes shorebirds will venture inland a bit for a good roosting area.

At one time in years past, the Marsh was called “Little Hamilton Marsh” while the current site of Pheasant Glenn Golf course was known as “Big Hamilton Marsh”.

Since 1973 the local school district has had a land use lease from then-owners Macmillan Bloedel allowing teachers and students to use the Marsh as an outdoor education classroom and a floating wharf was installed. The public may enjoy the Marsh at their own risk.

Since 1994 the Parskville Fish & Game Club has maintained a dozen wood duck boxes at the marsh. Wood ducks nest high off the ground, and when the ducklings hatch, the little piles of fluff almost immediately tumble from the nest box to the ground and take to the water with mother duck. An amazing performance.

Concerned people and groups have been trying for thirty-plus years to secure and preserve Hamilton Marsh, because of its important contribution to local well-being, and its wildlife. Sometimes when hoped for deals dragged on interminably, goodly sums dedicated to the Marsh’s rescue had to be re-allocated. The efforts continue. ~

It’s been estimated that the hydrological and habitat value of Hamilton Marsh’s 36.7 hectares is worth over $800,000 per year.

HOW ABOUT A POND SLOSH - CONTINUED

22 / April 2011

continued on page 32

A note from the editors: At the time the April Beacon was heading to press an announcement arrived heralding welcome news that the federal government had backed down on their plan to remove staff from lighthouses across Canada. We heard the sigh of relief from local lighthouse keepers but in the same breath there was still an underlying thought that this is only a temporary measure pending the outcome of the upcoming election. Should the destaffing strategy be revisted in the near future we thought it was still important to keep the question forefront of how important our local lighthouse is to our communities.

When you Google ‘Bowser BC’ the first thing you see is a map with

“Lighthouse Community Credit Union”

smack dab centre. Underneath, is the listing ‘Bowser, BC, Lighthouse Country, Vancouver Island...”. The same entry stands for Deep Bay, Lighthouse Country, Vancouver Island...” and Qualicum Bay.

Each of these small communities is part of a northward succession of unique characteristics from seafarer, shellfish farmer and fisherfolk – inspired living to old-school entrepreneurial spirit, to an oasis of true west coast recreation. Yet they are bound by a thread of quirky gardens, DIY sheds, quiet seaside roads and a rustic coastline from where, at any point, you can see their shared namesake – the Chrome Island Lighthouse.

Take a drive along Hwy 19A and there’s Lighthouse Country Community Centre, the

Lighthouse Motel, Lighthouse Veterinary Hospital, Lighthouse Gift Shop, and Lighthouse Feed & Garden, not to mention the communities’ main publication the ‘lighthouse-inspired’ Beacon and the Lighthouse Country Directory. There are even rumors that the community of Fanny Bay is looking at joining us in our slickers under the ‘Lighthouse’ umbrella.

With lighthouses across the country under scrutiny for de-staffing and decommissioning, and our own currently under review by the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans, one has to ask what would “Lighthouse Country” be without the “Lighthouse”? What’s in a name anyway?

PRESERVING OUR MARINE IDENTITYKEEPING THE LIGHT IN LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY

by Lisa Verbicky

Ken Walker photo

/ April 2011 23

24 / April 2011

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GOURMET VEGGIE QUESADILLARoasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, artichokes, caramelized onions, portabella mushrooms and mixed cheese grilled in a fl our tortillashell. Served with choice of fries,soup or spring salad.

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/ April 2011 25

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Ilya Tourtidiswill read from his latest poetry release, Bright Bardo

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26 / April 2011

By Rita Levitz

continued next pageDale McIntyre Rita Levitz photo

Adventure, you say? And what qualifies as adventure for you? Beginning and rapidly

expanding your own home business? Sailing into unknown waters? A five thousand kilometre motorcycle trip, just you and your dog? For Dale McIntyre, the answer would be – all of the above and more. The story of Cedardale Dairy is a perfect example.

Its roots were simple enough. Dale grew up on five acres in Cedar, a rural setting that kept her in the company of rabbits, cats, dogs, chickens and a lone goat. “Spending my youth like that, I always afterwards felt like a misplaced farmer. I realize now that my three daughters, Megan, Maddie and Catherine, were my excuses to get animals – many of their birthday presents, wrapped up in tissue paper, were pets. Even our first two goats were birthday presents. Soon after, we decided to breed purebred Nubians. It’s what I do, take things really quickly to the next level.”

Dale’s daughters were all involved with the Parksville/Qualicum 4-H Club. They had goats, sheep, five different breeds of poultry, and Dale sold milk, yogurt and cheese. “I needed to figure out more of an income for us. With so many animals I couldn’t leave the property for eight

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hours a day – there was always some kind of a crisis. You have no idea how many graves I’ve dug!”

Thus Cedardale Soap was born. “Goat milk soap was just making its way into the marketplace. My soap is 32 percent goat’s milk-mild, creamy, and without additives. Oh, there were lots of growing pains though – wrecked batches and messes, but six months after I started, there I was at the wholesale show at BC Place. I was such a novice! I had no idea how to build a booth, or sell wholesale.” The real shocker, however, was Dale’s discovery that she had an aptitude for entrepreneurship.

“It surprised the heck out of me. I think what’s been important is that if something wasn’t doing well, it never defeated me. I’d ask myself, ‘What should I do differently?’ You can’t blame the economy for poor sales.”

Aside from jumping into a new adventure with both feet, and quickly taking it to the next level, such as selling her soap all across Canada, Dale also commits herself to doing whatever she does to her own high standard of excellence – such as shipping her orders out within forty-eight hours. Even when she began piano lessons at the age of forty, she went through the Royal Conservatory exams. “I’d shake so much at the exams my kids would do imitations of me.” But she did it.

“I like challenges. It was the same when I was sailing. I enjoyed going into new harbours, where I had to rely on the chart and my own ability to read it well.”

“Now though, at this stage in my life, I can’t take myself too seriously. It’s fine to do things well, but that also has to be tempered with the realism that as one gets older, one can’t continue to do things to quite the same degree.”

With her daughters now pursuing their own lives and careers, and the downsizing (by attrition, of course) of her farm, new opportunities are arising. On returning from three months of solo traveling through Southeast Asia, Dale is embarking on a different kind of journey.

“Last year, my background as a nurse prepared me in some ways for giving my mother palliative care in my home. Yet, I wasn’t prepared for the emotional toll and the sleep deprivation. The Oceanside Hospice Society supplied me with equipment, including a hospital bed, and gave on-going emotional support.” Dale feels strongly about the crucial role Hospice plays in our community and questions whether they receive the financial support from our health care budget that they deserve.

“While I was caring for my mom, Oceanside Hospice suggested that I have a Healing Touch Session with one of their volunteers. I felt so much more relaxed afterwards, and energized. My daughter was here watching mom while I was gone, and she noticed the change in my demeanor immediately upon my return.”

Dale took the Level I Healing Touch training last year and plans to continue with the next Level when becomes available. “It’s energy work and I have experienced how it can heal emotionally and physically.” This has all the earmarks of a “Dale” challenge: the opportunity to learn, to rely on her own skills, and beyond that, to nurture herself and others. ~

continued from previous page

28 / April 2011

CATCHING A WHIFF OF HIGHER POSSIBILITY

By Joanne Sales

I wrote most of this article before the earthquake in Japan, and almost decided to put it aside. It felt too lighthearted in the face of so much

suffering. But perhaps it still has a message for us. It combines two bumper stickers, several quotes from human geniuses, and a story about a bird.

The Story: Once there was a young bird who lived in a bird dollhouse with her family. They hopped around in their house, stored goodies on their shelves, chit chatted, ate food and went to sleep, all inside their little house.

But one young bird said, “I am not happy here. This is not enough.”

The other birds told her she was crazy. “This is reality,” they said. “You were born a bird, and you will die a bird.”

“Exactly,” insisted the young one. “I am a bird, and birds can fly. We weren’t meant to live in doll houses.”

Her stubborn insistence drove the other birds crazy. So just to shut her up, they pushed her out the back door that opened up high above the fields below. “You say that birds can fly? Then prove it.”

And she did.

Our little bird hero was a genius. We are always in need of more true geniuses, so let’s look at this little bird. What made her special?

She stayed on task. She didn’t get mesmerized by the lures of the doll house. She was not distracted by iPods and pop culture, or overwhelmed by the weight of the world. “Concentration is genius,” Emerson said. She had that.

Bumper sticker #1: Question Authority. Our little bird questioned the authorities. Good thinking! Somebody’s got to do it. In fact, everybody’s got to do it. It is our democratic duty to question our leaders, in order

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4.5 0.2 4.9 3.4

4.5 0.2 5.0

3.4 4.3 0.3 5.0

3.2 4.2 0.6 4.9

3.1 3.9 0.9 4.9

2.9 3.7 1.3 4.8

2.7 3.4 1.8 4.7

2.4 3.2 2.3 4.6

2.2 3.1 2.7 4.5

1.9 3.2 3.1 4.4

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4.2 1.0 4.3 3.7

4.2 0.8 4.5 3.7

4.3 0.6 4.6 3.6

/ April 2011 29

to hold our good ones to their highest principles, and to weed out those who do not have our common good in mind or who just might happen to be egomaniacal, selfish, blind, stupid or crazy.

Our little bird hero did not buy the party line – not when it conflicted with her intuition. There was something inside her that nudged her into considering outrageous, expansive possibilities. That crazy bird thought she could fly!

Bumper sticker #2: Question Reality. Our bird did more than question her peers and parents; she questioned the whole reality that they took for granted. She stubbornly believed in possibilities that others denied. She caught a whiff of a higher possibility, and wouldn’t give up on the vision.

There are many good reasons to “question reality”, but one of the most important is because the 21st Century “presented” reality is so darn depressing – so limiting. I say here “presented” reality, because there would be no reason to question real reality – if we only knew what real reality was – which we don’t.

But is the depressing scenario the real reality? If you’re a bird, and the prevailing consensus tells you that you can’t fly, you need to ask some questions. My guess is that we experience similar limiting beliefs and don’t even know it.

We want to applaud our little bird hero for her inquisitive mind, strong will and visionary nature. But our bird hero didn’t actually decide to make a leap of genius. She didn’t do it on purpose. It was actually unforeseen circumstances that pushed her into fulfilling her destiny. It was on a BAD day that she finally fulfilled her dreams.

When she was pushed out the back door, she found out what she was capable of and what she was designed to do. She began to live what previously had only been a dream.

Recently, a friend going through hard times, made this same observation about herself. She says she used to think she should rely more on her intuition and inner strength. Now, she says, with the rug pulled out from under her, “I have no choice.”

Our bird story is only a story. But humans have always told their greatest truths through fairy and folk tales, parables and stories.

The people of Japan have been pushed out the back door of their lives. We’re right beside them, figuratively and in reality. I am so impressed by their dignity and strength. No looting and seemingly endless patience, even in scenes that look like hell.

Sometimes being pushed out the back door limits our daily choices but gives us the opportunity to act on the big ones. Some stories of heroes from Japan are being heard; most are not. In times of crisis and change, we can become our worst selves or our highest selves. It is important to hold to our higher visions now more than ever. Our bird questioned the whole paradigm, spread her wings, and then, in times of crisis, the air supported her.

We’ll end with a quote from Victor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning. In all situations, we still have the freedom to decide how to use our mind and heart.

“We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” ~

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30 / April 2011

IT’S HAPPENING IN AREA H FROM THE DESK OF DAVE BARTRAMEmail: dwbartram@shaw.caPH: 757-9737 • FAX: 757-9705

By Dave Batram, RDN Area H Director

Ending Homelessness: Last month I reported that VIHA gave the RDN a grant of $100,000 to address homelessness in the RDN. Since then, I have been appointed by the RDN Board to the Homelessness Task Force formed to address homelessness issues in Electoral Areas E, F, G, H, the City of Parksville and the Town of Qualicum Beach.

Development Permits: An application in conjunction with a lot line adjustment subdivision for 6224, 6266, 5280 and 6290 Island Hwy West was denied by the RDN Board as the lands are within the Agricultural Land Reserve and the Board would not support the requested variances until such time as the subdivision is approved by the Agricultural Land Commission or the Provincial Approving Officer issues Preliminary Layout Approval based on his authority under the Agricultural Land Commission Regulations.

The Electoral Area Planning Committee approved the Development Permit Application to allow the construction of a recreational residence on property located at 2270 South Lake Road and the construction of an addition to an existing cabin at 3728 Horne Lake Caves Road.

District 69 Recreation Commission Grants: The RDN Board approved $2,700 for the Lighthouse Recreation Commission. The Lighthouse Recreation Commission is composed of volunteers from Area H and works closely with the RDN Parks and Recreation Department and the Area H Parks and Open Space Advisory Group to bring recreation to the local community. Volunteers, helpers and new ideas are always welcomed. Contact Patty Biro at 250-757-8366 or shipshore@shaw.ca.

Electoral Area Director Pay: Twice in the past month I have been approached by individuals commenting on rumours that the remuneration I receive as a RDN Director is in the “hundreds of thousands of dollars” and I was being paid “$500/hour.” Don’t I wish! Just to keep the record straight my 2010 T4 slip states my employment earnings from the RDN is $13,568.41. RDN Electoral Area Directors also receive approximately $6,500 supplemental remuneration for expenses which is tax exempt. You are also reimbursed mileage for out of Area H meetings and a stipend for committee meetings that you have been appointed as a member by the Board. There is no pension or medical benefits and your office is your

home. By my latest calculation, for the amount of time I spend on RDN business either in Area H or on RDN business out of the area, seven days a week from 8 am to 9 pm, amounts to about $6/hour…and no I am not asking or supporting a raise…just setting the record straight…and besides…I asked for this job.

Bowser Sewer Feasibility Study: This study is complete and the participants who paid for the study will soon decide whether to proceed with the engineering design or abandon the project. This will be a difficult decision for the participants as they balance development and life-cycle costs in achieving the density allowed in the Bowser Village Centre against conventional septic disposal and the longterm survival of our largest employer, the shellfish aquaculture industry, from the phosphates and nitrates that eventually leach from septic fields into the ocean. Whatever the decision, I believe it will have significant effect on the long-term social, environmental and economic future direction of the Bowser Village Centre.

Area H Transportation Study: The Provincial BC Transit analysis of Area H residents desires has been completed and forwarded to the RDN for review. Once all options and costs are developed, I will call a Public Information Meeting to discuss with the community the direction they would like to take. ~

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/ April 2011 31

ANDROPAUSE Submitted by Pharmacist Lee Kuefler

Andropause is often described as a decrease in testosterone levels as a man ages. Starting around forty-five, most men

will experience a gradual decline in testosterone. Certain medical conditions can increase the risk of andropause such as diabetes, being overweight, sleep apnea, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and prostate disease.

Symptoms of Andropause:

• weakness, fatigue and generally not feeling well• reduced muscle mass• aching joints and stiffness in the hands• reduced interest in sex• reduced ability to have an erection• frequency of night-time erections reduced• depression and mood changes• decreased self-confidence• a fear of tackling new activities or ideas• memory problems inability to concentrate• weight gain or a general changing of body shape• changes in hair growth and skin quality• increase in breast size weak bones or osteoporosis• sleep problems

What can you do to manage andropause?

Talk to your doctor. Many doctors feel that replacing testosterone back to a normal level can be very beneficial to a man’s health.

1. If you smoke, stop. Heavy smoking can harm the arteries and can lead to heart disease and stroke. There is also a link between heavy smoking and erectile dysfunction.

2. Increase your activity level and eat a well-balanced healthy diet, with lots of fresh vegetables and fruit.

3. Try to reduce the stress in your life. Make time for yourself and your family.

4. Visiting a psychologist can also be helpful if you are feeling depressed.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy Options

If testosterone levels are low, testosterone replacement therapy can be started. Replacement therapy can help the symptoms of fatigue, depression and anger. It can also increase body strength, bone density, decrease middle body weight and may have a positive effect on cholesterol. It usually takes about three months to notice any improvement.

Testosterone replacement therapy comes in a variety of forms:

Injections – this used to be the most common way to increase hormone levels. The injection every two to three weeks caused fluctuations in hormone levels leading to mood swings and fatigue.

Gels and Patches – are applied to the skin on a daily basis, supplying more consistent and stable testosterone levels.

Oral capsules – capsules called Andriol are best absorbed when taken with a fatty meal.

Transdermal Cream – compounded cream using bio-identical hormones.

To learn more about these medications, please talk to your pharmacist.

250 �240 � 7155#204 Magnolia Court, Bowser BC V0R 1G0

Registered Massage TherapistBarbara Rady RMT

Member Since 1981

32 / April 2011

In the early 1980s, the answer to this question came from the mouths of babes when local elementary school children were asked by the business association to define where they lived in an art contest. Almost all of the entries were versions of the Chrome Island Lighthouse.

“We were struggling to find an identity for the three communities the time,” says Mac Snobelen of Bowser Builders’ Supply, the president of the business association at that time. “Some people wanted to call us ‘Coho Country’, and I’m glad we didn’t do that because, of course, that just isn’t the case anymore.”

Since then “Lighthouse Country” has appeared in local news reports and online magazines such as Suite 101, is listed on tourist websites like www.vancouverisland.com, was a mark of pride during the 2010 Olympic celebrations and torch relay, and continues to inspire community events and businesses.

“The Lighthouse Country name has connected our smaller, spread-out rural communities. Our community has woven its identity around the lighthouse so I think that this heritage is worth preserving,” says Betsy Poel, of the Lighthouse Community Business Association (LCBA).

Thanks to the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act, which came into effect May 29th 2010, our maritime identity may now be preserved for future generations. The Act allows communities to petition for a heritage designation that would protect the heritage character of significant lighthouses, says Norman Sheilds, Manager of the Heritage Lighthouse Program.

The Act protects lighthouses from being altered, sold, removed, assigned, transferred or otherwise disposed of without public consultation, and requires that they be property maintained, according to the website of Pat Carney, the senator who made the legislation her priority.

Under section 13.3 of the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act, this means that any ‘transfer’ – sale – of a Federal lighthouse must provide for the protection of its heritage, says Shields.

Under the Act, this applies to lighthouses that are deemed ‘surplus’ – or are now unstaffed, or lighthouses that, like Chrome Island, are not ‘surplus – or are still staffed. That is if the lighthouse in question meets the designated criteria.

According to the Parks Canada website, this criteria includes earning points under certain historical, architectural, and community values such as the lighthouse’s importance to Canadian maritime history, its role in the socioeconomic development of the surrounding community, its visual quality and design elements, its influence on the character of the surrounding community, and its identity with the surrounding community.

At first glance the Crown-owned Chrome Island Lighthouse, built in 1890 to serve the transport of coal from Union Bay, meets many of these criteria.

The island itself is protected as an archeological site, for a discovered midden area containing artifacts and human bones indicating a possible burial site, as well as numerous petroglyphs.

continued from page 22

continued next page

Check our web-site for residential, recreational and investment properties.

/ April 2011 33

HAIR SALON

Clipperart

for an appointment call 757.9364

Patti Stubbs owner/operator6920 W. Island Hwy.

Bowser, BC

The site is also home to the sunken Alpha, a wreck that went down in 1900.

As for it’s influence on the socioeconomic development and the identity of the local communities, it is underpinning of a recognized brand that attracts tourists, residents, and businesses to these communities. Likely the most photographed structure in the area, it is a stunning building that appears on business cards, brochures, online listings, signs and products in “Lighthouse Country”. It is our face to the world and our pride within. We would be lost without it.

Loss of identity is not all that is at stake when it comes to decommissioning or automating of lighthouses. On May 27, 2010, the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans began looking at closing or de-staffing about 480 active lighthouses and 490 inactive lighthouse in Canada deemed to be surplus to its needs.

The heritage act can protect the buildings but not the safety and services provided by the people who run them.

According to “Seeing the Light” a report done in December 2010 by the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees (UCTE), lighthouse are an outpost of sovereignty. The people who operate them provide assistance for the growing numbers of both the often less equipped recreational boaters, and commercial traffic on the water. They are key in assisting the growing number of float planes with on the spot weather and sea condition reports. They contribute to environmental sciences with information used for monitoring climate change, and sea life. They are in essence, says the report, “monuments of coastal communities”.

Also, according to the report, with an unmanned Light-station comes the possibility of vandalism. The cost of maintaining these unmanned stations after they have been automated has yet to be declared, says the report.

The Lighthouse Heritage Act, therefore, can provide some protection but does not completely address the complex issues facing lighthouses in Canada.

In order to ensure that the Chrome Island Lighthouse remain part of the landscape and culture of our communities, a petition specifying the lighthouse in question, with 25 signatures, of Canadian residents age eighteen years of age or older must be addressed to the Minister in charge of Parks Canada (Minister of Environment), and sent to the Heritage Lighthouse program office before May 29, 2012. The printed names and addresses of all signers must be included in the petition.

Both non-surplus and surplus lighthouse stations are eligible. Surplus lighthouses, which include most de-staffed lighthouses, may only be designated if a person or body submits a written commitment to buy or otherwise acquire the lighthouse and to protect its heritage character in the event that it is designated as a heritage lighthouse.

The Minister will decide on all designations by May 29, 2015.

For more information or for petition templates visit http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/lhn-nhs/pp-hl/index.aspx. Or call Norman Shields, Manager, Heritage Lighthouse Program at 819-934-9096 or by email at Lighthouses.Phares@pc.gc.ca ~

continued from page 32

DBYC 5TH ANNUAL MARINE SWAP IN BOWSER Deep Bay Yacht Club (DBYC) is

holding its Annual Swap Meet, Sunday April 3rd at the Bowser Legion.

The DBYC Swap meet is a consignment sale of used equipment that is in any way related to water activities – boating, fishing, diving and more.

It provides an opportunity for people to sell serviceable items they no longer use but don’t want to throw out. Previous years saw a collection of outboard motors, fishing gear, electronics, hard and soft dingys, lifejackets, marine stoves and even surf boards. Its a good chance to find some really great bargains!

There are no limits on price or size – items should be somehow related to marine activities. DBYC will do the selling for you and keep 25% commission. All the sellers have to do is pre-price and drop-off the items on the morning of the sale.

The proceeds of the sale will go towards the upkeep, furnishing and improvements to the clubhouse at the Deep Bay marina. DBYC intends to re-introduce youth sail training this coming summer and a portion of the proceeds will go towards funding this activity.

The Lighthouse Country Marine Rescue Society (LCMRS) use the clubhouse for storage of equipment, as well as holding meetings and training sessions for the Coast Guard Auxiliary unit 59. The construction was a joint effort between LCMRS and the DBYC.

The Bowser Legion is on Highway 19A in Bowser. Pre-priced items can be dropped-off April 3rd 9 – 11am; the sale is from noon – 3 pm. Unsold items have to be picked up by 4 pm or they will belong to the Yacht Club.

For more information contact any club member or Rick or Trish Nickerson at 250-757-8438 or ricknickerson@shaw.ca.

34 / April 2011

The need for water was the issue at the March Council meeting and while

that might seem bizarre, given all the rain that has fallen in recent weeks, a staff memorandum from Chief Administrative Officer Mark Brown made it clear that a source of good potable water is essential and this side of the Island is not in a rain forest. It urged Council to seek an extension of the current agreement of the Arrowsmith Water Service Venture (AWS) until June 30 to allow time to work out a new cost-sharing and voting arrangement.

A little history is needed here. In 1996, a referendum in the Nanaimo Regional District was passed approving the construction of the Arrowsmith Dam as part of a phased-in approach to developing the Englishman River water supply. Although Qualicum Beach gets its water from the Little Qualicum River watershed, it agreed to a 13.7% share of the venture as backup. Other partners were Parksville 63.9%, Nanoose (RDN) 14.4%, French Creek (RDN) 8%. Fast forward to 2011: the demand for water in Nanoose and Parksville has grown and the AWS needs a new capital spending plan for the next phase which includes acquiring land for water intake and

a treatment facility. Estimated cost is $50 million over five years. (Presumably that’s in today’s dollars.)

Councillor Barry Avis, who has sat on the AWS Committee for the past five years, moved that the Town try to reduce its involvement in the venture to 6%, and sell the rest to Nanoose. He argues that it makes more sense to try to get water rights for the Little Qualicum River and Cameron Lake, although the Town’s request in 1996 was turned down by the Environment Ministry which backs a single source and the accompanying infrastructure over individual municipal sources. He felt it was unfair to burden taxpayers with a bill that does them no good. “All the water goes to Parksville, none to Qualicum Beach,” he said.

Mr. Brown’s report recommended the 6% figure because consultants have suggested the Town might need water by 2040. Mayor Teunis Westbroek and Councillor Kent Becker agreed and the motion passed 3-1 with Councillor Mary Brouilette opposed, because there had been no public discussion and no other licensed agreement to back up the system. Now it’s up to the AWS to work out a new agreement. Stay tuned.

Councillor Brouilette was also swimming against the tide when she sought changes to the first reading of the Official Community Plan. An opponent of what the Chamber of Commerce calls a “population cap”, she moved that references to the town’s size be deleted. For example, where one sentence read “a maximum size of community of approximately 11,000”, she wanted vague wording “management growth and development based on a sustainable quality of life based on the build-out under the goals and policies of the OCP.” The Mayor was adamant the number should stay.

“You’re missing the point,” said Councillor Brouilette. “We don’t have to have the number. It gets misinterpreted constantly.” The number was a guideline to staff when they work on projections for the future, the Mayor countered. He suggested that “instead of fear-mongering” the Chamber should look at the positive aspects of the town. The motion died.

And that’s only the first reading. Final approval is set for May 2, but that’s not engraved in stone. ~

By Marilyn Dawson, Reporter

Qualicum Beach Town Hall • Linda Tenney photo

www.eyesonbc.com

/ April 2011 35

Set in the heart of their twenty-five acre pocket

of tranquil Denman Island woodland, the home of artists John Tallerino and Marc Randall makes for an impressive sight when looming from out of the trees at the end of their lengthy driveway. A simultaneously imposing and welcoming edifice, the house boasts a tangible ambience of Eastern mysticism as a pleasing consequence of the decorative embellishments Tallerino has placed on and around it.

Since relocating to the island from Oregon in 2005, this couple of thirty-four years has worked tirelessly to create not only the perfect environment in which to live and work in peaceful seclusion, but also an enchanting destination for visitors. Typifying their desire to offer a spiritually enriching haven is the meandering trail built in the surrounding woods. The way is intermittently punctuated by more lovely examples of Tallerino’s work, which is rich in Buddhist and Zen themes and symbolism, but it is clear that the artist sites them strictly where they will enhance a natural feature, or vice versa. It also seems that the trail builders have allowed the forest to guide the

way, so the human interference in creating it is barely noticeable.

The principal attraction, however, is the small, yet ornately decorated Dragonfly Knoll Gallery, where Tallerino’s stunning shrines and Rhode Island-born Randall’s exquisitely crafted handmade books, or “Bookmarcs,” are on display and sale. It was this aspect of their talents I was briefly introduced to by friends last year, arousing interest enough that I felt compelled to investigate further. I couldn’t help but wonder, for example, how on earth one

would get into making shrines.

In respect of Tallerino’s professional background, it was not so much of a leap as I had imagined. In the sixties he studied at the late Lester Polakov’s prestige Studio and Forum of Stage Design in Greenwich Village, New York City, which lead to

By David Morrison

THE MAGIC OF DRAGONFLY KNOLL GALLERY

extensive experience in theatre design. Hitch this to his natural artistic flair and deep spirituality and the bridge to his latter-day creations is easy to cross. But it all started when Tallerino and Randall were running a B&B called Middle Creek Run in Sheridan, OR, and he got a creative itch he didn’t immediately know how to scratch.

“I was at a place in my life where I wanted to get involved with art,” he recalls. “I started working on different things, including toys, but I couldn’t find anything that really stuck with me. Then we went to the local college because they had some Buddhist monks coming in to do a mandala. We were both interested in seeing how that was done and watched them make this incredible mandala over a two-week period. It was so inspiring to watch, and so mystical and spiritual. I thought I could do that, came home and built my first shrine! It has become a way for me to express myself and to do something that is healing for the planet.”

Tallerino’s shrines are magnificent. Some are simple and direct while others are of highly intricate design, but they are all alive with dazzling primary colours and calming earth tones. Symbolizing both life

continued on page 36

36 / April 2011

force and fire in Buddhism, red is featured heavily, as are greens in representation of balance and harmony. Tallerino is also fond of utilizing found objects in his work, like animal bones, driftwood and seashells, all of which understandably serve to enhance the expressions of the artist’s oneness with nature that lie at the core of his pieces.

As for Randall’s Bookmarcs, he, too, started creating them by chance, just seven years ago. An old friend of Tallerino’s made books in her downtown McMinnville, OR, studio and one day showed Randall how to do it. “Forty-five minutes later she came to me and said, ‘He’s a natural!’” laughs Tallerino. “He took a couple of courses with her and has been making books ever since.”

“I’d never done anything like that before,” reveals the quietly spoken Randall, a former dental ceramicist. “I always had an artistic spirit but never had a way to express it. Because of circumstances I just worked, doing whatever I could do, but was fortunate enough to get into a dental laboratory when I was about twenty. I was good with my hands, enjoying close work, and went about as far as I could in that, unless I wanted to open my own lab. But I don’t like to run things, I like to make things.”

The uncannily perfect compliment to his partner’s shrines, Randall’s Bookmarcs are truly beautiful. Like Tallerino, he will

run with the ball on a design if he feels so inclined, resulting in some daedal ornamental books, but others are delightful in their simplicity. The painstaking process involved in the Bookmarcs’ binding and stitching is plain for all to see, evidence of the patience required in such a craft. The jackets are made from anything from leather to wood, and the designs evoke images of everything from the Oriental to the Medieval.

Randall puts a lot of forethought into the designs of his books, yet frequently works on several at once. “Depending on the books I’m making, because of the process of bookbinding having so many steps, I like to work on three or four of the same binding at the same time. Or I’ll work on a special book that doesn’t fit any of the rules, but I would work on that book alone. And I assemble them in my head before bringing any materials together; the ideas tend to gestate for a long time.”

The long hours these artists put into their work comes as no surprise when learning more about their aforementioned B&B, where their clientele would include visitors to the wineries of the lush Willamette Valley.

Purchasing a badly deteriorated, twenty-one room house on 97 acres of Oregon farmland in 1989, they went on to spend the better part of a decade restoring and renovating

the property. The transformation included the landscaping of almost a quarter of the acreage with over one thousand trees, shrubs and bushes. The end result was so astonishing that it earned the cover story and an eight-page full colour spread in the June 2000 issue of Victorian Homes magazine. In short, these guys are not averse to hard work, so every bead of sweat that goes into their art is reflected in its invention and high quality.

Tallerino and Randall are a true partnership in every way, therefore deeply supportive and proud of each other’s artistic achievements. Of how it all comes together in the scheme of their life, Randall says: “John’s work takes the form of a prayer, and when it’s done it’s magical. When I work on my books I’m creating a spell; I’m putting…I can’t think of a word to use other than magic…into the book. When the book sells and somebody writes into it, that completes the magic, and that’s how I think our work meshes together so well. It’s a meditative, prayerful, magical process. I think we do it more for our own spiritual growth than for any other reason, but if people see our work and resonate with it, that’s great.” ~

Usually open daily, Dragonfly Knoll Gallery is situated at 4920-B Lacon Road, and will be part of Denman Island’s 19th Home and Garden Tour on May 7 and 8. Call (250) 335-1551 or email denmanisland.hgt@gmail.com to reserve tickets for this event.

continued from page 35

/ April 2011 37

ALL SOILS AND COMPOSTS ARE NOT EQUALQ: I understand from your recent talk on soil, that some plants prefer soil dominated by fungi while others prefer soil dominated by bacteria. Could you please explain this more?

A: You ask an excellent question that can help everyone understand the soil food web. This phrase, used by Dr. Elaine Ingham (www.soilfoodweb.com) refers to the delicate relationship between plants, roots, bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms in soil. Although the topic involves the detailed and fascinating science of microbiology, home gardeners can follow this simple guideline. Most vegetables, annuals, and grasses prefer their nitrogen in nitrate form which bacteria-dominated soil provides. On the other hand, most trees, shrubs, and perennials prefer their nitrogen in ammonium form which fungi-dominated soil will provide. Gardeners can achieve the desired soil conditions by adjusting the ratios of brown and green materials in their compost. Most people keep a balanced ratio so it can be used on all beds. Read on for how to adjust your compost further.

Q: How can I adjust my compost to make it more fungi or bacteria dominated to suit different vegetation?

A: Proper composting always involves controlling the amounts of brown and green matter that go into it. Remember, brown consists of dry leaves, tea, coffee, straw, wood chips/sawdust, and green matter includes all vegetable scraps and grass clippings. Because the brown matter needs to be collected and added in controlled amounts, it can be overlooked by gardeners.

Aged brown material supports fungi while organic green material supports bacteria. When brown matter is increased in relation to green, fungi will multiply. Alternatively, when brown matter is decreased in relation to green, bacteria levels rise. In this way, gardeners can adjust their compost materials to produce end product that is highly fungal,

highly bacterial, or evenly balanced. Keep in mind, though, that all composts need fungi, so brown matter is always an integral and necessary ingredient of compost. Just control the amounts to produce the compost your plants need.

Q: Does the pH of compost matter and what’s involved in changing it?

A: Bacteria in compost will tend to create compost with pH levels between 7-7.5 while fungi create levels around 5-5.7. We want fungi in all our compost to prevent it from getting too alkaline (high pH). The more fungal material present in your compost, the lower the pH. All vegetables, annuals, and grasses, prefer a pH of 6.5-6.8. These levels fall between the numbers above and describe evenly balanced compost (ie one to one ratio of brown to green matter). For acid loving plants (low pH), like blueberries, raspberries, roses, Rhodos, and lilies, the ideal pH level is 5.5. This describes compost with higher levels of brown matter, the best for fungal based plants like these.

Q: I’ve read that overtilling soil will have a detrimental effect. So does rototilling really harm the soil?

A: Tilling is tilling, whether it’s a tractor, rototiller, or shovel doing it and current thinking advises against it. Scientific research of the last decade shows that any major soil disturbance severely damages the soil food web. Tilling destroys soil structure and severely diminishes all bioactivity, the opposite of what we want in order to get things growing. A better plan is to aerate soil without overturning as you work in last year’s compost mulch. To do this, gently loosen soil with a garden fork, but don’t turn it. After aerating, cover the soil with a new layer of appropriate compost mulch to enrich it for the approaching growing season. ~

Harry Sumner is a certified arborist and garden coach. Gardening questions are welcome at 250-248-4512 or shellms@telus.net.

ANTIQUES SALE – Easter and Mothers Day specials. Big discounts on china, silverware and tableware – all the things to make your family entertaining a memorable success. Furniture 20 - 40% off. Mildred’s Memorabilia, 3215 Brooklin Lane, located on Hilliers Road South (6 km West of Qualicum Beach). Open Wed to Sun 11-4 (or by appointment) Phone 250-752-1700

LET ME PUT YOUR JUNK IN MY TRUNK – I clean out any room or pile. I recycle and run on natural gas. Fast, friendly, honest. Call Gary 250-937-7879 or 250-757-9182.

KOOLATRON COOLER AND ADAPTER – Can be used warm or cold. Inside measurements are 12 x 12 x 12. Perfect condition - $175 including power adapter for your vehicle (lighter plug in). FMI Call 250-947-9365

FOR SALE – 1996 Gibralter Mobile Home. 66`x 14`, 924 sq ft. Bright open floor plan. Two Bedrooms and two Bathrooms. Full Kitchen, Dining Area, and Living Room. Asking $42,000. Please call 604-543-8825 to arrange a viewing.

VENDORS WANTED – For a one-day spring event, Sat. April 30, Mount Arrowsmith Rhododendron Society seeks vendors to complement its annual perennial plant sale at Qualicum Beach Community Hall. Call Marilyn, 250-752-3694.

MODERN 3 BED, TWO BATH GROUND ORIENTED SEMI DETACHED GROUND LEVEL HOME – $1,300/month in Parksville. Private entrance fenced yard and decks; parking for two vehicles and storage shed. Open plan living area; gas fireplace, lots of light. Kitchen with island and pantry; DW/Fridge/Stove/Washer/Dryer Master with walk in closet, full bath; two smaller bedrooms share second bath. Contact Lynn Wood at Oceanside Hospice 250 752-6227 or lynn@oceansidehospice.com

WEB SITE, BLOG, SOCIAL MEDIA – Seeking local merchants for domain and user-friendly template driven web sites, offering set up and promotional advice at a very reasonable rate. Experienced with references. FMI Call 250-240-5535.

MEMORABLE LINES writing and memoir service has the answer to all your business and personal writing puzzles. Call 250-335-1157 or 888-330-8366 for a free estimate. See www.memorablelines.com for a detailed list of services.

FIRST RATE MASONRY – Over 13 years experience providing first rate, creative workmanship within budget and on time. Old brick restoration. All stone and tile work. Fireplace facing. Retaining walls and pavers. Chimney construction, cleaning and repairs. FMI Call Jason Buxton (250) 802-5515

COAL CREEK FARM on MacArtney Drive in Fanny Bay has naturally fed, free range duck, chicken, turkey and goose meat available various times of the year. *Don’t forget to order your Easter Turkey!!* Please call for availability – ask for Paul or Christine 250-335-1322.

Illusion Lake Sand & Gravel

911 Church Rd., Parksville, BC

(250) 248-3693

Off Horne Lake Road

Trucks for Hire • Pick Up or Delivery

For smaller quantities…Call or stop by our Gravel Mart at

• CONSTRUCTION AGGREGATES• SAND & GRAVEL

For those larger projects…Call for delivery or to

Arrange pick-up

Porter & WoodGravel Mart

Trucks for Hire • Pick Up or Delivery

(250) 248-3693911 Church RD, Parksville, BC

Licensed Disposal Site forYard, Garden & Wood Waste

FREE SCRAP METAL DROP OFFINCLUDING APPLIANCES

• Bark Mulch• Pea Gravel• Top Soil• Drain Rock• Fish Compost• Decorative Rock• Blue & Multi

Driveway Chips• C-33 Washed Sand• Hydro Rock

• Road Base• Navvy Jack• Pit Run• River Rock• Lawn & Garden Sand

VILLAGE GARAGE(1990) Ltd.

COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRSIN THE TOWN

665 Memorial, Qualicum Beach

OIL CHANGES • BRAKE SERVICE • TUNE UPSEXHAUST SYSTEMS • BATTERY • TIRE SALES

(250) 752-9542

Mon-Fri 7:30-6 • Gas Only Sat 9-6Closed Sunday

FOREIGN & DOMESTIC VEHICLES

SAY YOU SAW THEIR AD IN THE BEACON!

/ April 2011 39

WILDWOOD COMMUNITYCHURCH

113 McColl Road, BowserSunday Morning Worship 10:30 am

757-8136

BAREFOOT HOOF TRIMMING A correct barefoot trim can improve your horses overall health and well being. Certified trimmer now accepting new clients. Reasonable rates and discounts offered. FMI Call 250-752-8380.

PICK-UP AND DELIVERY – Tune-ups and repairs to riding lawnmowers and all small engines. Buy and sell used equipment. Call Ron 250-240-1971 e-mail: ronmorrison100@gmail.com

THERAPEUTIC FOOT REFLEXOLOGY – Sessions $50 for 75 mins my home. Home visits are available. Release your body’s self-healing ability through deep relaxation. Please call Marie at (250) 335-0850.

THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF QUESTERS – Next meeting will be on April 25. Back by popular demand - Tim Findlay will speak about Numerology and sacred Geology. FMI Call Chris 250-752-1419.

FOOTCARE – HYGIENE Soaking feet, cutting nails, filing calluses, treating dry skin – fingernails too. Reflexology – 1 hour sessions. Services offered from Nanoose to Union Bay. Please call Vikki @ 250-757-9244

DON’S HOME REPAIR – plumbing repairs and installations, complete renovations, no job too small. Call Don @ 250-757-8757 or cell 250- 951-8757

FIREWOODFor your year-round firewood needs call

Dale 250-757-9276West Island Energy Ltd.

IF YOU ENJOY OUR MAGAZINE, IT’S OUR ADVERTISERS

WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN! WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHOP

LOCAL FOR YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES!

CUSTOM MADE GOLF CLUBS FOR A BETTER SWING!

Specialty long-drive and Putting equipment. Electronic rating of swing speed and impact zone.

Custom fitting, crafting re-gripping and repair. Call Eric Burt, Insured

and Accredited Clubmaker 250-954-3328.

SCREENED RICH ORGANIC TOP SOIL FOR SALE

Proven excellent for Vegetable and Flower Gardens. Call Dave

250-757-9451 or 250 927-1421 or Bob 250-757-8551.

RHODO SHOW AND SALESaturday April 16 at the Parksville

Curling Club (in the Community Park) 10:00am to 2:00pm.

Admission Free! FMI Call 250-752-3694.

STAMP COLLECTIONS/ACCUMULATIONS WANTED – Mint or used, will take all, cash or consignment, top prices paid. Call Russ at 1-250-314-1021 or email at ingruss@telus.net

WANTED: SLIDE PROJECTOR in good working order. Contact Maria Jones 250-468-7661.

SHORT CIRCUIT ELECTRICNew home? Renovation? For your safe and quality wiring needs, the

shortest circuit is to call Tim 250-240-4105.

Licensed and Bonded.

Food or cash donation required to local food bank determined by club. Offer based on first visit enrollment, minimum 12 mo c.d./e.f.t. program. New members only. Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations through 4/17/11. © 2011 Curves International, Inc.

250-752-3399141 East Fourth AveQualicum, BC

We know you’re thinking about a subscription to The Beacon

Magazine

See page 8 for details

40 / April 2011

publishing, the media, medicine, the law, and higher education. Actually, opportunities in these areas are going to stay with you for all of 2011. How cool is that? Therefore, be alert. (The world needs more lerts.) Meanwhile, back in the boudoir, fair Venus opposite your sign right now sweetens partnerships and close friendships, while Mars hypes your sex drive as well. Now that’s a handy combo! (Ya think?)

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) There are four planets now activating the part of your chart that influences how money comes to you from others. This includes inheritances, as well as your relationship with banks, the government, and debt, taxes and insurance matters. Obviously, this also deals with the wealth and earnings of your partner, if you have one. Try to be patient, which might be tough when Mars is opposite your sign. Work-related romance can blossom for some of you. People are attracted to your intensity!

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Because four planets now oppose your sign, your focus on partnerships and close friendships will be stronger than usual. But on the whole it’s a positive focus. Yes, you’re involved more than usual with others, but things look friendly, co-operative, and mutually beneficial. But it’s not all about work. Venus wants you to party, flirt, enjoy sports and slip away on a vacation if you can. Romance is also promising. Playful times with children will delight. Mucho fun and pleasure on the menu!

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You’re focused on your job scene because you want to accomplish a lot! This year is your chance to get a better job, a better boss, or better duties – whatever. Some of you might put a new spin on your attitude about what you do. Who knows? You might suddenly like your job! (These things are possible.) And hey, not only can you improve your job scene, you can improve your health as well. (It’s also the year to enjoy small pets.) A bonus year!

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Not only do you have a great month ahead, you have a great year ahead! That’s because so many wonderful planets are now

in a Fire sign, which dovetails beautifully with your Fire sign. This is a great month (and a great year) for romance, love affairs, vacations, the arts, working with children, and doing whatever is just fun and pleasure. Yup, you’re big winner this year! However, increased activity, chaos and tension on the home front require tolerance, discipline and patience. If necessary, fake it.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You’re focused on home, family, and domestic issues. Home repairs and family discussions will be significant. However, in the bigger picture, you’re entering a year that is excellent for real-estate deals. And if you don’t explore real-estate deals, you can still benefit at home through feeling your family life is enriched. Indeed, many of you will expand your family through marriage, birth or adoption. To be sure, your home and family will be a source of joy this year. You can count on this.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You’re running around as if you have an outboard motor on your ass. Not only are you running errands, taking short trips, and talking to everyone, you’re working hard to earn money and almost just as hard to spend it. But cash is flying. Some of your purchases should include wardrobe items because this is a good month to shop for clothing for yourself. It’s also easy to be charming and diplomatic with everyone. You’re happy with this accelerated pace.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Money, money, money! Suddenly, you’re focused on increased possibilities to boost your earnings or get a better job. Looking good! Indeed, Jupiter has returned, for the first time in more than a decade, to boost your earnings! This will come about earlier or later, depending on when you were born. Trust your money-making ideas. This increased pressure about cash flow in general might be why you will welcome solitude in beautiful surroundings.

Aries (March 21-April 19) You’re looking good because, for the first time in a year, the Sun is back in your sign, boosting your energy, attracting opportunities and influential people to you. Allow good fortune to come your way. Schmooze with others. Be patient with partners and close friends because this is where your challenges are right now. But the next few weeks are lucky for you! You can demand the advantage.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) This is the ideal time to lie low, work alone or behind the scenes, and start to give serious consideration to what you want your new year (birthday to birthday) to be all about. Obviously, you can either let life just “happen” to you, or you can take the reins and give yourself some broad goals. This way, you’re steering your course instead of just responding. If you give yourself goals that can be defined, with time limits, your success rate will be far better.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You are out there flying your colours! In the next month, you will socialize much more with others, especially in group situations. This is the perfect time to join a class or club. You have a strong desire now to talk to younger people and to inform others about something. Travel for pleasure as well as romance with people from different cultures or other countries is likely. You might earn money through publishing, the media, medicine, the law, and higher education.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) The Sun is shining down and acting like a spotlight on you. This high viz. quality makes others notice you more than usual, especially bosses, parents, VIPs, teachers, and even the police. The good news is this great lighting makes you look favourable to others. That’s why you’ll be asked to take on increased responsibilities for something. People see you as competent, capable and resourceful. Ask for favours, loans, an increased budget, whatever. You might get it!

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Opportunities to travel will broaden your horizons, along with opportunities in

/ April 2011 41

Our Advertisers Category ............ Ad PageEyesOnBC Business Centre ............................. 41

Arrowsmith Automotive Automotive Services .........................17

Jennifer Hubbard, Solicitor, Notary Public Business & Financial Services. ........40

NR Insurance Services Business & Financial Services .........47

Wisdom is Within Coaching Business & Personal Coaching ........20

Handy Sandy Services Maintenance Services ......................44

Ethereal Splendor Healing Health Services ................................46

Medicine Centre Health Services ................................31

Jonathan Martin CCST, CRRP Health Services ................................20

Nurse Next Door, Peter Coulter Health Services ................................46

Camelot Electric Home & Garden Services .................46

Camelot Excavating Home & Garden Servies .................. 46

Gemini Technical Services (Appliances) Home & Garden Services .................46

Horne Lake Electric Home & Garden Services .................45

Lighthouse Trucking Ltd. Home & Garden Services .................45

Northpacific Window Home & Garden Services .................19

Witte Construction Home & Garden Services .................45

Re/Max First Realty - Setter & Associates Real Estate .......................................26

Royal LePage - Carol Gregson Real Estate .......................................32

Peter Mason Land Surveyor Surveying & Land Information ..........45

We encourage you to “shop local” whenever possible. Below is a list of local businesses that offer a variety of services and products for your personal and professional needs. Tell them you saw their listing or ad in The Beacon.

And, if you use and can recommend a local business or service, we ask you to share the news with your neighbours, friends and family. Your positive referrals

will ensure a strong economy in your community. And that’s important!

BUSINESS INFORMATION CENTRE

The advertisers listed here also have their business cards and brochures racked with us at The Beacon office in our Community Information Centre. If you require further information about any of the businesses noted above, please feel free to call or stop by our office. We support local business and

firmly believe in the power of networking.

Caring and Compassion for our Animal Companionscontinued from page 14

With a clear need for a better way, Steve and Tammy decided to launch their own business; an animal crematorium that would offer pet owners a choice, and their pets some dignity on their last journey.

“Many people simply don’t know that they can choose where their pet is cremated,” says Steve. “We’d like them to know that they have options.”

When I visited with Steve and Tammy, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The crematorium is tucked away among the trees and

ferns on their land; a quiet restful place.

“There’s no smoke. There are no polluting emissions. All that comes out of the stack above our building is heat waves.” Steve tells me.

The death of an animal friend is a very difficult time, and while we logically understand that our companions will not know what happens to them after they’re gone…delivering them into the hands of someone who will treat

them with compassion and dignity is important to our own grieving. Our animal companions would understand that our grief is lessened by knowing we’ve done our best to care for them even after their living essence is gone.

“We offer general and private cremations,” says Steve. “If it’s a private cremation, we return the animal’s ashes to its owner in the container they choose from our collection, or in a container they supply. If the owner chooses to cremate his pet in our general cremation process, we don’t return any ashes to the owner because we can’t guarantee that the ashes would be the individual animal.”

Opting for a private service means that your pet is cremated alone, and there’s no question that the urn you take home will contain your beloved companion.

Cremations can be arranged directly with Steve and Tammy; you can choose to drop off your pet yourself, or have your animal picked up from your veterinarian or right from your home. Prices for cremation vary depending upon the weight of the animal, and containers range from ceramic or metal urns to cedar or cherry wood boxes with your pet’s name engraved on a plaque. It’s their mission to ensure that the love and memories you have shared with your pet last forever in the most thoughtful and respectful way.

Steve and Tammy perform an important function on Vancouver Island and if you’re curious, I encourage you to tour their facility and plan for the future of your pet.

Vancouver Island Animal Crematorium is located at 4585 Stotan Trail, Courtenay. Steve and Tammy can be reached by calling 1-866-540-6481, 250-338-6481 or contact@vanislac.ca. Website – www.vanislac.ca

For peace of mind … ask the question.

Ask what crematorium your veterinarian uses? Remember that you can request that your vet contact Vancouver Island Animal Crematorium for your pet’s pick-up.

42 / April 2011

LIGHTHOUSE COMMUNITY CENTRE (LCC)Qualicum Bay - INFO: LOIS NELSON: 757-9938

Pancake Breakfast, Flea Market, Live Music, Veggies, Poultry & Small Animal Swap, Master Gardeners: – Sun April 10th, 8am-noon. The Qualicum Bay Lions will be cooking up breakfast this morning.

Lighthouse Seniors #152 – Next meeting Mon. 11:30am April 4th. Speaker: Dorothy Spencer (Driving Miss Daisy) Soup & coffee – at the Lighthouse Community Centre FMI call Shirley at 757-2384

Lighthouse Floor Curlers – Curling every Mon. & Fri. at 1 pm at the Lions Rec Hall in Qualicum Bay. New members welcome. FMI call Dennis Leach 250-757-8218 or Tillie Murray 250-757-9218.

Carpet Bowling at LCC: Oct – April 12:45 to 3:15pm. Tues. and Thurs. Everyone welcome, exercise and fun, come out and meet your neighbours. FMI Call Layne 250-757-8217.

AA Lightkeepers: every Fri. 8pm. Info: 250-757-8347

Bridge at LCC Nordin Room – 1-4pm Friday afternoons. Call Ann: 250-757-8194

Taoist Tai Chi Society Classes at LCC and Fanny Bay OAP Hall. FMI Susan @ 757-2097

Lighthouse Trails Group needs your help. Val Weismiller: 757-9667

LIGHTHOUSE RECREATION INFO PATTY: 757-8366 shipshore@shaw.ca

Men’s Drop in Floor Hockey – Tues. evenings from 7:00 – 9:00 pm at Bowser School. FMI Call Kevin Bull @ 757-8423

RDN ACTIVE LIVING GUIDE

Featuring programs for all ages starting in April & May, along with Summer Programs & Camps for children. Arrives in mailboxes, or available at EyesOnBC.

ADULT PROGRAMS

Hatha Yoga – Use principles of breath, alignment and space to balance softness and strength in this gently guided class. This program is suitable for beginners and beyond. Starting April 11 at Bowser School. Mondays 6:00-7:15pm; Thursdays 6:00-7:15pm $71/8

PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS

Lighthouse Tot Soccer 3-5yrs – What could be more fun than kicking a soccer ball with your child on a sunny spring morning? Children will start to learn very basic soccer skills with the emphasis on motor development and fun. Parent participation is required. Saturdays May 7-Jun 11 9:15-10am 3-4yrs; 10:15-11am 4-5yrs. Lighthouse Community Centre Field $33

Survivor: Bowser School Island 6-11yrs – Which tribe will you be on? Design your team logo, plan your strategy and work together at the challenges. Making new friends

and playing cooperatively will have everyone going home a winner. No one is voted off this island. Bowser Elementary School May 2-Jun 13 Mondays 3:00-4:30pm $40

Crazy for Games 6-11yrs – Come on out and learn new games, play favourite “old” games and even design some original games. Games will include board games and cooperative indoor and outdoor games. A willingness to have fun is all you need. Bowser Elementary School May 4-Jun 8; Wednesdays 3-4:30pm $40

If you have eight friends and would like to try a fitness, scrapbooking or other type of program, please contact me and I will work hard to find an instructor at a time and reasonable cost that will suit your group.

Please contact Area H RDN programmer, Chrissie Finnie at 250-757-8118 or cfinnie@rdn.bc.ca for detailed program and registration information. All programs must be pre-registered to avoid the disappointment of being cancelled.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS & CLUBSDashwood Volunteer Fire Department Annual Head Shave for Cancer is April 10th 10am - 1pm at the Dashwood Fire Hall, 230 Hobbs Road. Everyone welcome. For more info or to sign up contact Harvey Twidale at 752-9882 or the fire hall at 752-5434.

Bowser Seniors Housing Society invites you to our AGM on Tues May 3rd at the Lighthouse Community Centre. Provide input to the Seniors Housing design. Refreshments 6:45 pm., meeting at 7 pm. For Info call Sally at 250-757-8455.

Oceanside Recital Series presents classical cellist Janet Steinberg & Accompanist: Nikolai Maloff, pianist. McMillan Arts Centre, 133 McMillan Street, Parksville, 3 pm, Sun. April 10. Sponsor: Thrifty Foods. Refreshments: Courtesy of Quality Foods

The Baynes Sound Garden Club invites you to our 10th Annual “Spring in the Country” Plant Sale. Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 9 am to 12 noon at the Fanny Bay Community Hall, Old Island Highway. Free Admission.

ECHO Players present “Lettice & Lovage” by Peter Shaffer at the Village Theatre Qualicum Beach March 31st - April 17th. Tickets 250-752-3522 or info@echoplayers.ca

The Qualicum Beach Family History Society is pleased to invite Margaret Mann, Lynda Poulton and Joe Forsyth to speak on Agricultural Labourers, Female Servants and Coal Miners on April 20th. We meet at 7pm at the rear of Legion Hall in Qualicum Beach. Guests are invited.

Fanny Bay Parents & Tots Play Group runs every Monday from 10:15-11:45 at the Fanny Bay Hall. For children 0-5 years old and a caregiver. Join us for songs, stories, early literacy activities, games, gym time, parent resources and a snack. This is a free event, supported by the Comox Valley Family

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April 2011Services Association and the Fanny Bay Community Association. FMI contact Evelyn 250-335-9022

16th Annual Oceanside Family Health & Wellness Fair “Accessing Your Community” Sat Apr 9, 10 am – 3:30 pm, Parksville Com. Centre Free Admission. Door prizes and great seminars.

Wine Fest – Presented by the Rotary Club of Qualicum Beach – Saturday, April 9th at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre. Featuring selected BC and imported Wines, Cheese and Oysters. Wine Seminar 6pm to 7pm (limited to the first 100 patrons). Tasting 7pm to 9pm. Tickets are $30 (including hot and cold appetizers). Tickets available at: Bayside Wine & Spirits, Chocolates Plus, QB, Mulberry Books, QB, PV and QB Rotary Club Members. Rides home will be available. FMI Call 250-752-6650 or 250-757-8803

Cowichan Valley Artisans show at Portals April 14 -21 Island Savings Centre 2686 James St. Duncan. Artists in attendance.

Easter Weekend Studio Tour April 22 - 25 10am - 5 pm; 15 professional artisans’ venues from Ladysmith to Mill Bay. CowichanValleyArtisans.com

Oceanside Grandmothers 2 Grandmothers is hosting a Partner Bridge Luncheon at Knox United Church,Parksville at noon, Mon. April 11th. Tickets are $15 and available at Knox United Church, Parks West and Arbutus Emporium. FMI contact Anne Collie 250-951-0644

The Village Voices of Qualicum Beach present a very special Spring Concert “The Road Home” Sat. April 16th at 2:30 pm at The Christian Fellowship Centre, Village Way, Qualicum Beach. Suggested donation $10 at the door.

The Mid Island Floral Art Club will meet on Thurs, April 14 at 2 pm at St. Stephen’s Church Hall, 150 Village Way, Qualicum Beach. Demonstration “Less is More” by Lilo Kallai of Fresh N Fabulous Flowers and Gifts. All welcome. Guest fee $5. Call 250-248-2976 or 250-752-2179 for more info. www.mifac.org

Malloomba – Back by Popular Demand! at the Big Coombs Dance 4U! Sat., April 30, 8 –12, doors open 7pm Coombs Community Hall (rodeo grounds) 2595 Alberni Hwy. Tix $15 @ Shoe Inn, QB, Coombs Store, Back Road Java, Errington, Cranky Dog Music, PV l.d. reservations ph Doug 250-752-8505 Tix $20 at the door. Sorry no minors

Mark this on Calendar! Lifering Weekly – Alcohol/drug discussion meetings. Thurs at 7:30pm – upstairs at the SOS Centre, 245 W Hirst Ave, Parksville. No charge, non religious. FMI call 250-752-1058 or 250-951-7675.

Lighthouse Spinners – Every Tues. 10:30-2:30pm in the Community Centre Board Room. New members welcome. FMI Jo 250-757-8402

Dance To Timberline Band – Free, live old-time Country & Rock’n Roll music. Every Wed. 7:30 -10:30pm Parksville Legion, 146 West Hirst St., Parksville. All welcome.

Beta Sigma Phi – an International Women’s Group promoting Life, Learning & Friendship. In the Oceanside area 7 chapters hold bi-monthly, day or evening meetings. FMI Margie Healey, 250-757-9125

Living with Cancer Support Group – 1st Thurs of month, Gardens at Qualicum Beach from 1:30 to 3:30pm. This group is not only open to cancer patients but also to their caregiver. FMI Rosemary at 250-951-2167.

Kiwanis Club of Parksville/Qualicum Beach meets on the 1st and 3rd Tues. at the Kiwanis Village 250 West First Ave. QB at 7:15pm. 19 plus are welcome if you wish to assist seniors and children in need in our Community. FMI Call Thomas at 250-752-7424.

WHAT’SHAPPENING

IN APRIL !

Belly Dancing Monday.............................................. 7:00 pmLadies’ Pool Wednesday........................................ 5:00 pmCrib Wednesday........................................ 7:00 pmTexas Hold’em Thursday............................................ 7:30 pmMixed Darts Friday................................................. 7:30 pm

CLOSED SUNDAYS

Hall Rentals 250-757-9222 • Mon to Fri 9:00 am - 12 noon

www.rcl211.caApr 7 • LA General MeetingApr 12 • Deep Bay Improvement District AGMApr 22 • Good Friday - closedApr 25 • Easter Monday - closedApr 26 • Legion Executive MeetingApr 28 • LA Executive Meeting

Apr 3 • DBYC Swap MeetApr 16 • Annual Seafood Dinner Tickets available at the Legion - $25Apr 30 • Fundraiser The Racket Club classic rock band Tickets available at the Legion - $10

(food available)

The Beacon Magazine is online

Facebook: www.facebook.com/beaconmagazineTwitter: www.twitter.com/beaconmagazineWebsite: www.eyesonbc.comBlog: http://beaconmagazine.blogspot.com

44 / April 2011

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Easter SundayApril 24 9am Continental Breakfast10am Worship Celebration

Good Friday ServiceApril 22 • 10:30am

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Come see us on Saturday May 7TH for our traditional

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Stop in and check out our great selection during the Fire & Ice Festival

674 Memorial Ave., Qualicum BeachPh. 752-3550

Q U A L I C U M B E A C H11am to 3pm

M AY 72 0 1 1

SATURDAY

This will be the 19th year for this festival and the main street of the town will be closed to traffic as up 6,000 people from Vancouver Island and Vancouver’s Lower Mainland visit for this fun-filled family event. Oceanside’s famous chili cook-off is the centerpiece of the Festival where up to 30 teams in their decorated booths compete for the coveted “Peoples Choice Award”. A one-time cup purchase for $3.00 will allow you to go from team to team sampling the culinary fare and voting for your favourite.

Ice carvers, located throughout the town, will work their magic with chainsaw and chisel. Carvers come from across Western Canada and

the USA to compete for cash prizes at this annual event.

Live musical entertainment from 3 stages featuring well-known local and recording artists, plus a “Kids Zone” where little people get their faces painted, watch balloon twisting, petting zoo and participate in activities planned just for them. Volunteers are there all day to ensure that kids of all ages are entertained.

www.fireandicestreetfestival.com