Bowen Island Undercurrent August 14 2015

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FRIDAYAUGUST 14, 2015

VOL . 4 2 , NO . 2 9

Remembering ClausHans Behm pays tribute to one of thefounders of BICS, Claus Spiekermann

How I Got Here: Dee ElliottRealtor’s tale is much like the onesbeing told by her clients

Dog DaysBowen Island went to the dogs on Sundayin celebration of all things canine

continued PAGE 6continued PAGE 9

Spear sisters win Twilight contestMARTHA PERKINSE D I T O R

Bowen Island’s Kailey and Sam Spear werecatapulted into a whole new universe of fan-dom after their film won the grand prize inThe Storytellers: New Voices of the TwilightSaga.The Mary Alice Brandon File has been

viewed more than three million times byTwilight fans (and, undoubtedly, every singleperson on Bowen Island.) Their screenplayis based on The Twilight Saga: The Official

Illustrated Guide by Stephanie Meyer.“I’m really proud to celebrate a new gen-

eration of female filmmakers. Keep tell-ing your stories,” says judge CatherineHardwicke, the director of the first TwilightSaga film, in a video announcing the win-ners on Friday.As part of their prize, they won a XC90

from Volvo, the film competition’s sponsor.The identical twins, who have BFAs from

Simon Fraser University, grew up on BowenIsland and called upon several islandersto help with The Mary Alice Brandon File,

including their producer, Natasha Wehn.(Their laudatory thank-you letter is on page4.)The haunting story, filmed in soft, moody

greys, is about a young woman whose abil-ity to see into the future — and discern whomurdered her mother — is punished by hav-ing her memory striped from her through aseries of electroshock therapies.During each treatment, she has flashbacks

which piece together why such a bright,beautiful young woman disappears beforethe viewers’ eyes.

After a 14-2 mercy win for the Cruisers on Saturday afternoon, the Twins’ Julian Stevenson, Kevin Toews and MattGildersleeve congratulate their opponents. For details of the tournament, plus a list of trophy winners in the 2015 regularMen’s Fastpitch League, please see story on page 3. Martha Perkins photo

Island pitches in to help family afterdevastating fire on Hood PointMARTHA PERKINSE D I T O R

The island is banding together to helpa family whose house burned down onWednesday morning.Susanne and David Koeplin and their two

children were away when a neighbour inHood Point heard the smoke alarms in theirhouse go off around one in the morning.Fire Chief Ian Thompson says that the

neighbour went over to the house to see ifeverything was okay. When she opened thedoor, letting oxygen, or fuel for the fire, intothe house, “it blew her back.”

The neighbour suffered a fracture in herarm and burns to her face.Thompson got the call at 1:28 and was

there about 15 minutes later, with the firstfire engine arriving five minutes later.It was quickly discerned that the house

could not be saved because the fire was soadvanced. Concern then focused on prevent-ing ash and sparks spreading the fire else-where.One fire truck focused on dousing the

flames while another sprayed water on brushand trees in the neighbourhood.Thompson and neighbourhood volunteers

went door to door to let neighbours know

what was happening.The fire chief praises the 18 volunteer fire-

fighters who responded, not leaving untilabout eight in the morning. “The guys did anunbelievable job containing it to the one area.”Thompson says the cause of the fire is

undetermined — and likely to remain thatway. The fire started somewhere in the mid-dle of the 70-year-old building.In the meantime, friends have kicked

into high gear to help the family, who, whileinsured, lost everything in the fire.

David andShirley Wrinchare Citizensof the YearSELECTION COMMITTEEC I T I Z E N O F T H E Y E A R

Out of all the wonderful Bowen individualswho have been granted the annual Citizen ofthe Year award, two couples have previouslywon: Ross and Lois Meyers-Carter in 2007,and Don and DianneMarshall in 2013. Amongthe flurry of submis-sions this year, anotherpair have shone through:David and ShirleyWrinch. The couple, whohave spent countlesshours donating their timeand costumes to previ-ous Bowfest parades, willnow get to join the floatsthemselves.David and Shirley have

volunteered on an ongo-ing basis at a variety oforganizations on theIsland. David has pro-vided technical supportfor seasonal exhibits atthe Museum, includ-ing the yearly TeddyBear Christmas exhibit.He has volunteered fornumerous Bowen fes-tivals, Tourism Bowen,and with the RoyalCanadian Legion.From Friday Night Dinners to Community

Lunches, David and Shirley have both devotednumerous volunteer hours to the Legion,where David served as president for the 2013-2014 term. As Chair of the Eagle Cliff WaterSystem Local Advisory Committee and presi-dent of the recycling depot, David has stroveto maintain the community’s sustainable con-nection to the island and its resources.Many visitors who stopped by the vintage

photo booth during Steamship Days at theBowen Island Museum and Archives canboast that they wore a variety of Shirley’sfine creations. Calling her on short notice,Museum staff had to plead that “we mayprove to be worse than actors” when it comesto schedule changes and costume requests.While recently working on the new documen-tary for our exhibit, we arrived at her homehoping for four dresses and a few shirts: wecame out with 12.To any occasion, Shirley arrives full of

enthusiasm, warmth, and a hint of theatrical-ity. Well known for her costuming talents andthe ability to transform simple bedsheets intoa fabulous gown, Shirley is not sparing whenit comes to loaning out her creations. Tir-na-nOg Theatre School, Theatre on the Isle andGreen Man Festival would not have the samemagic without her vast collection of pleated,beaded, hemmed and pressed costumes.

David Wrinch

Shirley Wrinch

2 • FRIDAY AUGUST 14 2015 WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM

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Please limit your water usage:

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If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Public Worksdepartment at 604-947-4255

→ J O I N T H E D I S C U S S I O NJoin the Province of B.C.’s climate action consultation, open from July 17 toAugust 17 for survey feedback. Additional feedback will be accepted untilSeptember 14.

This is an opportunity to contribute your ideas and priorities for the nextphase of climate action in B.C.. Your input will be invaluable in helping theProvince to develop the Climate Leadership Plan.

In December, you will have another chance to participate, in providingfeedback on a more detailed draft plan. Please visit http://engage.gov.bc.ca/climateleadership to find out more.

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Applicants must be:

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license● Willing to undergo a criminal

background check● Available and willing to be called out at any time● Willing to undergo training for 1st Responder medical situations,

in addition to firefighting● Interested in joining our team and serving the community

Applications may be obtained at www.bimbc.ca or at Municipal Hall.

Completed applications may be dropped off at Municipal Hall or emailed [email protected].

→ B O W E N I S L A N DC O M M U N I T Y R E C R E A T I O N

Ongoing Day Camp opportunities available for kidsaged 5 ½ - 12 years old through to August 27thRegister now at www.bowencommunityrecreation.comor call 604-947-2216

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BIM Mayor and Council will not be in session for the month of August.If you would like to contact Mayor and Council, please [email protected].

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Sign-up to receive agenda notices and important news

information from BIM via email at www.bimbc.ca

Delegations and Town Hall Sessionat the next meeting of the

Islands Trust CouncilWednesday, September 16, 2015

1:30 – 2:30 pmBowen Island

Cates Hill Chapel Hall, 661 Carter Road

This session is an opportunity for members ofthe public to discuss issues, ask questions andmake suggestions with trustees from the entireIslands Trust Area. Deadline for Delegation

request is August 19, 2015.

For more information on the Town Hall Session,contact Jas Chonk, Acting Executive Coordinator, Islands Trust

(toll free at 1-800-663-7867 or direct 250-405-5164)(email: [email protected])

MARTHA PERKINSE D I T O R

A broken nose didn’t stop him.The absence of three of his team’s three key

players didn’t stop him.In Sunday afternoon’s championship base-

ball game, Charles Chandler contributedseven points to the Diggers’ scoreboard, earn-ing his team the tournament title and him thecoveted Most Valuable Player trophy.“Charles was key on how to suck it up and

pull it together,” Men’s Fastpitch League presi-dent Glen McGregor says. “He broke his noseearly in the final game when he crashed intohome plate and hit his nose against the backcatcher’s pad. Can you imagine the pain? Hepushed his nose back and kept playing. That’sthe commitment to the team.”All told, Chandler’s prowess at bat led to

seven players crossing home plate, includingtwo home runs of his own.The Diggers won Sunday’s championship

game 7-6 against the Twins. It might have hada different ending if Julian Stevenson hadn’tbeen caught out on what he had hoped wouldbe his game-tieing run home.“For a final game, you can’t get much more

exciting than that,” McGregor says.While it’s not surprising that the Diggers

did so well, especially after winning the leaguetitle the week before, all bets were off onSunday morning.The team’s powerhouse is pitcher Adam

Woodward and his twin Tom as back catcher.They share a Sedin-like ability to read eachother’s plays. However, back in January theylearned that they’d have to be at a wedding on

Vancouver Island on the Sunday of the tour-nament.Their play helped get the Diggers to the

semi-finals but what would happen then,especially since Aaron Johnstone was also offto a wedding on Sunday and the Diggers wereup against a very strong Cruisers team?“The rest of the team pulled it together

and made it happen,” McGregor says, giv-ing a shout-out to relief pitcher Dan Guillon.“Ninety-five per cent of people would havethought they couldn’t do it without their keyplayers.”In the semi-final game against the Cruisers,

the Diggers won 4-3. In the other semi-finalgame, after winning first place in round robinplay, the Shakers lost 11-9 to the Twins in thesemi-finals.The trophy for the tournament title and

MVP are named in honour of Scott Helenius,a young player who died in a house fire in1986, the year the league started.The league also presented its trophies for

this season’s league play.The Glen Cope Most Sportsmanlike Player

trophy went to Brewers coach James Strang.“He’s put a team of young guys together whocome down to practice just because they lovethe game. The team’s loving him, loving com-ing down to play,” says McGregor, noting thatthe Brewers were second in the league thisyear.The Coach of the Year trophy, named in

honour of the late Bill Taylor, went to theShakers’ Paul McGillivray, who started playingas a 16-year-old and has been coach for thepast five years. “He’s done a phenomenal jobof keeping it fun and everyone happy.”

The complete list of 2015 league trophies:MVP: Eric Hunter-JamesTop Batting Champion: Eric Hunter-JamesRookie of the Year: Adam FramklinCoach of the Year: Paul McGillivrayHome Run King: Derek SinkeTop Pitcher ERA: Adam WoodwardPitching Strike Out King: Adam WoodwardGreg Cope Most Sportsmanlike Player:

James StrangMost Dedicated Athlete: Derek SinkeMost Improved Pitcher: Pete ScottMost Outstanding Outfielder: Lee PretiousElectrifying Base Runner: Clayton Hunter-

JamesMost Improved Player: Iishan CruzMost Outstanding Infielder: Doug DurrantMost Outstanding Utility Player: Spencer

GrundyOutstanding Senior Player: Rick Sinke2015 League and Tournament Champions,

the Diggers: Adam Woodward, TomWoodward, Dan Guillon, Dan Cowper,Matt Cowper, Ross McCorquodale, PaulWhitecotton, Charles Chandler, AaronJohnstone, Charlie Barbour, Dave Hilborn,Justin Byers, Leyland Briscoe, Matt Lazsuk,Mike Langley and Matt Harrison.Although the annual tournament is a

huge amount of work, it’s a labour of lovefor McGregor, who was still out on Mondaydoing a final clean up. “When you put anevent together with help and smiling faces,and then there’s all the fun ruckus of theweekend, it makes it all worthwhile.”He gives a shout-out to Molly Montgomery

who volunteered as scorekeeper for more than40 games during the regular season.

Diggers dig deepto win fastpitch title

The Brewers’ backcatcher Scott Millerand umpire John Hall keep their eye onthe ball. Daniel Martin photo

Tom Woodward sits on first while theother team changes pitchers.Martha Perkins photo

Left: A Diggers’ batter is safe at first as the Firemen’s Ewan McEachern waits forthe ball. Martha Perkins photo

Brewers pitcher Brian Thompson, above, fires the pitch in. Daniel Martin photo

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Take a bow, Bowen

We want to thank the wonderful Bowen com-munity for your continued support of us and ourfilm, The Mary Alice Brandon File! It was the mostamazing experience walking around the Cove andArtisan as we waited for the final announcement— everywhere we went we heard “I saw your film”,“I voted for you”, “Have you heard who won yet?”Your love and support help give us energy to getthrough rough patches (and, as filmmakers willknow, there’s not a film made without at least one“rough patch”) and to keep on creating.A large number of Bowen people were actu-ally involved directly with the making of thefilm. Natasha Wehn was our producer extraordi-naire. We really couldn’t have done the film withouther! Michael Hogan lent his brilliant acting skills tothe role of the Doctor. Silvaine Zimmermann was

on set every day doing crafty and set stills. SusanAlexander, Katalina Bernard, Susanne Martin, NinaElliott and Frazer Elliott can be seen as backgroundperformers. Carrie Thiel did stunt choreographyand appeared as one of the attendants draggingAlice away. Heike Brandstatter and Coreen Mayrswere extremely supportive throughout not onlygiving us casting consultation but also providingus with a production office. Agent Carrie Lloydrepresents our lead actor, Paloma Kwiatkowski,and helped negotiate her booking on this project.Kat Hayduck helped review our budget. Jack andJulie Headley, along with Michelle Harrison, helpedsupply us with some last-minute wardrobe pieces.Libby Osler typed pages for the file on her type-writer. Libby, Danielle Allan, Mary Pottier and Tedand Dyan Spear helped by giving feedback at therough cut stage of the film. Lauren Spear co-wroteand performed the credits song ‘We have it all”.Warren Franklin was the person who first told usabout the competition and mentored us through-out. These incredible people, and many more,helped make The Mary Alice Brandon File a reality.Thank you to everyone who supported us bywatching/sharing/voting for the film! From theresponse we have had when back on the island,we’re getting the sense that that’s most of Bowen!Bowen Island is an extremely special place withan amazing community of talented and supportivepeople. We are honoured to be part of this incredi-ble community and are overjoyed that we can bringthe good news of the win back to you!

Kailey and Sam Spear

The red carpet at Arclight Cinemas inHollywood is a long way from Bowen Islandbut it’s part of the new world that Kaileyand Sam Spear inhabit now that their film,The Mary Alice Brandon File, has had suchhuge success with Twilight Saga fans. EricCharbonneau photo

What do you think aboutmore parking near library?On September 14, Bowen

Island council will discussthe addition of 10 to 12 park-ing spaces on Cardena Roadnear the library. The workconsists of infilling the ditch.Organic material removedfrom the area will be placedbeyond the parking spaces andremediated as green space. Ifapproved, work is anticipatedto begin in late September.People are asked to send comments and/or questionsby September 11. Email comments to [email protected] mail them to 981 Artisan Lane, V0N 1G2.

Calling all faithsI know it is strange to be thinking about

Christmas when we are basking in mid-20s tem-peratures in August, but this year the Bowen MakesMusic Children’s Choirs will be doing a multi-faithChristmas concert and I want to see if it’s possible toinclude music from all the faith and belief systemsrepresented by Bowen Island. So far I know we haveSikh, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian and Humanist. Iknow I’m missing lots. Please feel free to give mea call at 778-668-2912 to add to my knowledge. Iwould be very grateful!

Alison Nixon

Spear sisters thank the many islanders who helpedthem make their prize-winning Twilight Saga film

The sisters shot the asylum scenes atRiverview Hospital in Coquitlam.

Remembering ClausFounder ofBICS was oneof Bowen’s bestcommunitybuildersHC BEHMC O N T R I B U T O R

Claus Spiekermann passed wayin Kamloops on August 5 after along battle with severe diabetesand Parkinson’s disease, nearly fourweeks short of his 74th birthday.In 1974 he moved to Bowen with

his wife Lorraine and small sons,Collin and Wesley. By then he hadbeen a very young principal inBoundary Community School inNorth Vancouver. With the rapidlyincreasing settlement of youngfamilies on Bowen and an inad-equate local school, Claus’s call for a“re-think” of the educational struc-ture on the island prompted himto interest parents and communitymembers at large in the CommunitySchool Concept.Having moved my family perma-

nently to Bowen Island in 1977, Ireceived a phone call one day fromCaroline Headley. She invited mywife Marianne and me to partici-pate in the formation of the BowenIsland Community Association.After listening to several of my “ifs”and “buts”, she said : “You have fourchildren who will go through ourschool. Now you have a chance tohelp shape the community’s involve-ment in school life. If you don’t par-ticipate and don’t like it later, don’tcomplain!”I did participate and thus began

for me one of the most rewardinglearning processes in democracy,thanks to Claus’s fair and thoroughexploration of the concept.Claus was born in Hamborn,

Germany, “the Ruhrgebiet”, in 1941.He survived the horrific ravagesof the bombing raids, chaos andstarvation, but his parents’ mar-

riage did not. In 1951 his motherand he immigrated to Canada andhe grew up in Prince George, BC.His critical mind brought him theencouragement of teachers to go touniversity. He studied education.During those years he met Lorraine,a beautiful, warm-hearted woman,a wonderful counterbalance to histemperament.From a young age he was sensi-

tive to social justice and eventuallybecame an outspoken defender.At 6-foot-plus and more than 300pounds he presented an imposingfigure.Having moved his family to

Bowen Island in 1974, he offeredhis services as a school trustee fromBowen Island, then part of theSunshine Coast School District, #46and later as Islands Trustee from1992 to 1996. In the 1983 provin-cial election, he stood as the NDPcandidate for West Vancouver/Howe Sound, a riding reaching upto D’Arcy. He knew it would be anuphill battle and didn’t win, but hedoubled the vote from the previouselection. He asked me to be his aideand I learned what it takes to be onthe hustings.Another team member was

the legendary Squamish Chiefin North Vancouver, Philip Joe.Claus was principal of Queen MaryCommunity School by then, situ-ated close to the Reserve and thusit had a sizable number of nativestudents. As a CSA member Philipbecame so taken with Claus’s“same rights for all” attitude thathe offered to introduce him to thevarious Nations in the riding. At alater date he was made an honorarymember of the Squamish Nation,given a name and a talking stick.Together with Gail Taylor and

the support of a referendum Clausinitiated the process for BICS, a newschool, which had to be expandedtwice since its inauguration in 1980.Lorraine supported his communityinvolvement and became BICS sec-retary and CS Coordinator from1982 to1983.With Georg Helenius Sr. and his

backhoe, John Rich and others, theyparticipated in weekend volunteer

work groups building a septic fieldor a foundation for a needy family.Thanks to Claus and Lorraine theearliest Bowfests 1977 to 1979 weregreat successes including hot airballoon rides from the festival field.All the while giving generously

of his free time, he was a dedicatedteacher and effective principaljoined for many years by colleagueand friend Brian Hodgins andBowen Islanders Ira Appelbaum andHorst Mann.However, as a gardener, kayaker

and brew master he showed lessertalents. Lorraine, who was a skilledwoodworker, had just completedtheir new kitchen cabinets whenClaus decided to make some homebrew, which he stored in the newdrawers after bottling. One sultrysummer night a “popping noise”could be heard coming from thekitchen and then “the hiss” of escap-ing liquid under pressure and thenanother pop and another. Anxiousto stop the artillery barrage in thecupboards Claus was about to pullthe drawers out but then thoughtit to be best not to be hit by flyingbottle caps. The kitchen floor wasawash and the new cabinets werecoloured in an unusual aromaticstain ever afterwards.The Spiekermann and Behm fam-

ilies shared many adventures suchas walking the tunnels , trestles andbridges of the Kettle Valley Railwayin the early ’80s or visiting the cow-boy poet and story teller, CorkyWilliams, on his swamp ranch 60km north of Anaheim Lake. On thattrip, the Behms lost the engine intheir VW Crew Cab. Claus returnedto Vancouver, bought a rebuiltmotor and drove it back up, 1,000kilometres each way.After retirement in 1996 Claus

and Lorraine left Bowen Island andsettled in Grand Forks. In 2002 can-cer took Lorraine. A few years laterEsther came into his life. Yet, whileunder treatment in Israel, she toosuccumbed to cancer in her homein Jerusalem. Claus then left GrandForks and moved to Kamloops to becloser to son Colin and his family.Parkinson’s and severe diabe-

tes had already taken their toll on

him. In 2009, he hired me to planand take him on a month-longtrip around the Baltic, Denmark,Germany and to Austria by cruiseship, plane and car. He was nowconstantly dependant upon hiswheelchair. He needed assistancewith his medications. His bed hadto be adjusted to 75 cm height andthis very specific requirement need-ed to be negotiated in each hotel.He enjoyed the comforts of

the “Eurodam”, sights of theAmber Coast of Mecklenburg, StPetersburg, the Sarinnen estate inHelsinki and a visit with an oldfriend from Bowen Island, KurtLarsen, in Denmark.Rolling through the Brandenburg

Gate in Berlin, listening to a concert

in the newly re-built Frauenkirchein Dresden and watching the whiteLipizaner stallions in Vienna goingthrough the moves of a dress per-formance gave Claus a vivid histori-cal perspective. In Bavaria he visitedwith his favourite uncle for the lasttime.During our journey together I

experienced his deep humanitariancommitment, zest for life and senseof humour. Behind all this alsolived a lonely man, with pain anddoubts. Above all, he was a mostloyal friend.After returning to Canada his

health gradually descended and onAugust 5 he left us. He was one ofBowen’s greatest community build-ers.

On the CalendarThe Adventuresof Piratess TilleyOriginal artworkby Karen WatsonRuns until August 16Gallery @ Artisan SquareWednesdays to Sundays10am to 5pm

The Glass MenagerieAugust 13-22 at Tir Na NogStarring Frazer Elliott, BronwynChurcher, Andrew Cameronand Jackie Minns.Show times and ticketsat bowenglassmenagerie.brownpapertickets.com andPhoenix.

Farmers MarketAugust 1510am to noonBICS undercover areaTables, kids activities andbuskers

Fix-It FairAugust 1510am to 1pmBICS gym foyerFree fix-it advice for smallappliances, clothing, computers,etc.

Vanishing: Impressionsof our Vanishing CoastalLegacyOpens August 19Opening night: August 217 to 9pmGallery @ Artisan SquareExhibit features the work ofdistinguished local artists MarcBaur, Georgina Farah and JanetEsseiva.

Tailgate MarketAugust 22BICS parking lotLocal producers share bounty

of their garden from 10am untilthey sell out

Bowen In TransitionPotluck 5 to 7pmWhole-group meeting: 7pmPlease RSVP [email protected]

Rotary Run For RwandaAugust 298:30amFerry dock10k and 5k run, a 5k walk anda 1.5k kids’ runRegister atRotaryRunForRwanda.com

BowfestAugust 29Parade theme is MythicalCreatures From Around theWorldCountry Fair competitionsBowfest.org

Kingbaby’s heartfelt production of Tennessee William’s classicdrama, The Glass Menagerie, opens this weekend. Show timesthis week are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm with a2pm Sunday matinee. The play ends in time for the last ferry.Jackie Minns and Frazer Elliott pictured. Lorraine Ashdown photo

Lorraine and Claus Spiekermann not only loved Bowen Island, butthey worked hard to enrich the lives of everyone who lived here.She passed away in 2002; he died on August 5.



It was the loud sound of a blowhole that first alerted Steve Rosell to the fact that the channelbetween Galbraith Bay and Hutt Island had an unusual visitor — a humpback whale travellingnorth to south. Rosell, who lives on Mount Gardner Road near the Government Dock, grabbedhis camera but missed getting a shot of its flukes, which he spotted once it went down for adeep dive. Steve Rosell photo

Humpback whalesvisit Howe SoundMARTHA PERKINSE D I T O R

Earlier this week, MikeShannon might have been tempt-ed to hang a “whale watching”shingle on the windows of hisEnglish Bay Launch water taxis.On Sunday and twice on

Monday, passengers were treatedto the sighting of humpbackwhales off Atkinson Point.

Wendy Szaniszlo is a marinemammal biologist and researchassociate with the VancouverAquarium. In the 10 years she’sbeen monitoring humpback andgray whales in Barkley Sounds,she says she’s seen an increase inthe number of humpbacks.“Increased sightings are attrib-

uted to the species’ recovery, andhumpback abundance and dis-tribution in BC is influenced by

their prey — small forage fish andkrill. With increasing populations,coupled with prey sources closeto shore, our chances to observehumpbacks increases.”She says the boating public can

help protect these magnificentanimals by keeping their eyesopen for whales and their blows,slowing down in the presenceof whales and observing the BeWhale Wise guidelines.

Andy Johnston, the owner of Averill Creek winery in Duncan, pours a glass for JamesTopham and Lyn Krutzfeldt at Saturday’s informal fundraiser for the Bowen Island CommunityFoundation. The wine tasting at the Beer and Wine Cellar was in support of Helping Hands, aFoundation program that provides emergency funding for families in need. Martha Perkins photo

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MAY 18, JULY 1,AUG 3, SEP 7 &

OCT 12

†THE WEDNESDAYSAILINGS WILLBE REPLACED

BY DANGEROUSCARGO SAILINGS.

NO OTHERPASSENGERSPERMITTED.

**

BC Ferries REGULAR SCHEDULEMarch 14 to October 12, 2015

5:30 am**6:30 am7:30 am*8:35 am9:35 am#10:35 am11:40 am12:45 pm3:10 pm4:15 pm†

5:15 pm6:20 pm7:20 pm^

8:15 pm#9:10 pm10:05 pm

6:00 am7:00 am*8:00 am9:05 am†#10:05 am11:05 am12:10 pm2:35 pm3:45 pm4:45 pm5:50 pm6:50 pm7:50 pm^

8:40 pm#9:40 pm

45If you don’t wantto miss a week ofthe island’s news,people and events,subscribe to theUndercurrenttoday. It’s only $45to get the paperdelivered to yourmailbox everyFriday for an entireyear.

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Junius erat canis ridiculus et impudens,placidus et multo adoratus.

vale, solamen meum. lecto mollissimo semper fruaris.

Contact Maureen to advertisein this space.

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MARTHA PERKINSE D I T O R

Rarely a day goes by that Dee Elliottdoesn’t get a chance to tell her How IGot Here story.Since it has a happy ending — yes,

there are ways to cope with the ferry;yes, it’s an amazing place to raise chil-dren – it’s the perfect story for theBowen Island realtor to tell people asshe drives them to see the houses thatmay one day be their new island home.She’d grown up in West Vancouver

and, for some reason, Bowen Islandwasn’t on her radar. When her father,an engineer, got transferred to Ontariofor five years, she remembers get-ting on her bike to explore southernOntario and yet it wasn’t until she wasin her twenties that she and her sisterventured across the Howe Sound.“I remember how pooped I was,” she

says of her tour around the island bybicycle.After she married, she and her hus-

band knew they couldn’t afford a homein West Van but with her sales jobrequiring her to be on the road a lot,Bowen was simply not feasible either.It wasn’t until their sons, Frazer andBryn, were aged two and 10 monthsthat they finally took the mortgageplunge. It was either Bowen Island orMaple Ridge.Peter Dive, who is still a Bowen real-

tor, sold them a 1970s Panabode in

Tunstall Bay 28 years ago.“It was supposed to be our starter

house but it will be my finishinghouse,” she says of the home that’s stillher refuge and joy.Those early years weren’t easy. She

became BC Guide Dogs’ first employ-ee, which meant a daily commute toRichmond. Then, when her marriagedissolved, she needed to find work onBowen so she could be close at handfor her sons.Necessity is a single mom’s mother

of invention and Elliott thinks she had15 to 20 jobs before she became a real-tor 10 years ago.She delivered the Undercurrent,

keeping a barf bucket in the car incase Frazer and Bryn got car sickas they accompanied her across theisland. She worked at what’s now theRuddy Potato, drove a truck to pick upnursery supplies — “Frazer called meMother Trucker” —, owned her ownlandscaping business, was the island’sanimal control officer and then assis-tant bylaw officer.“When I had the landscaping busi-

ness I had the boys work for me soI could have them right under mythumb,” she says. “The only thing Ihaven’t done, and still want to do, isdrive the bus.”There were some tough financial

years but she worked hard and didwhat it took to make those mortgagepayments.

A realtor doesn’t work nine tofive so that career was out of thequestion until the boys left foruniversity. Bryn is an engineer inOttawa; Frazer was a teacher andlived in Australia. When Frazerand his wife moved back to theisland so he could join her as arealtor, it validated every thing shesays about Bowen being a greatplace to raise a family.That last sentiment is

what draws most of theprospective home ownerswho get picked up in herVolkswagen Tiguan at theferry and set off for their

tour of Bowen Island.Elliott knows she’s selling life-

style as much as she is houses.The ferry ride is the first releaseof the tension of city life and shewatches it melt away even more asshe takes them to the beaches, theforested roads, the school, and allthe social amenities. It’s surprisinghow many of them are young cou-ples with children right around

the age of Frazer and Bryn whenthe Elliotts first arrived here.The ferry is still the biggest

concern for people trying todecide if Bowen is right for them.Many people now rent for a cou-ple of months or spend a couple ofweeks as cottagers to see if islandlife is for them.“It’s not for the A-type,” Elliott

says.

How I Got Here: Dee Elliott

Realtor’s story is onethat’s shared by many

Like many people, Dee Elliott came here because of the island’s affordability. Martha Perkins photo


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BI ARTS COUNCILC O N T R I B U T O R

Howe Sound is at a crossroads it isfacing unprecedented pressure from re-industrialization, development and climatechange. Three local artists have cometogether in an attempt to create an artisticdialogue on the pressure mounting in theSalish Sea and BC in general. “Vanishing”is an upcoming art exhibition showcasingthe works of Marc Baur, Janet Esseiva andGeorgina Farah.“We hope to use our work and love of

the west coast landscape to promote dis-cussion in our community, on the future of

Howe Sound. We want people to considertheir relationship to the landscape in thecontext of climate change and loss of bio-diversity.”Marc Baur is a contemporary Canadian

Chigiri-e artist, who creates his abstractimpressionist images with exotic paperinstead of paint.Janet Esseiva paints in acrylics, pushing

the boundaries of how this medium can beused to reflect her love of the West Coastlandscape.Georgina Farah paints in oils and

explores the notion that we are intimatelylinked to the landscape, and that ulti-mately, we return to it. For her, she feels

that we belong to the land and it’s an illu-sion to think we are separate. “It has neveroccurred to me that the land belongs to usand we can do what we want with it. Webelong to it and we have look after it.”Art has always been a reflection of the

decisions we make as a society. This exhi-bition aims to motivate the audience toreflect on their own relationship to theland and water and to contemplate thedecisions we are making as a community.The exhibition runs August 19 to

September 21. Meet the artists: FridayAugust 21 from 7 - 9pm at the Gallery inArtisan Square.

From left to right: Detail from the works of Marc Baur, Georgina Farah and Janet Esseiva.

Exhibit explores the art of protest

Wrinches deeplyinvolved in communityfrom page 1

Running a hand down the lines of colourful outfitshung in Shirley’s walk-in wardrobe transports youfrom era to era. Shirley’s fairy-tale world of attire ismatched by her love for this community; she alsovolunteers at the famous Knick Knack Nook and theFriday Lunch Program at BICS.David and Shirley are a wonderful team who

continuously bring light to the community throughtheir services, commitments, and overall love forthe Island. The Citizen of the Year award is a merelya way for the community to formally recognize thecountless – and ongoing – hours that both of themhave contributed to local projects, organizations, andto the arts and cultural community on Bowen.The selection committee would also like to

acknowledge all the other nominees for their out-standing contributions to our community, in particu-lar, Peter King, who has almost single-handily trans-formed transportation on this island for commutersthat goes well beyond what would be expected of alocal business to improve the lives our citizens.

Submitted by The Citizen of the Year SelectionCommittee and the Bowen Island Museum & Archives

The Rev. Shelagh MacKinnongives her blessing to MarilynHarris’s Nele at the Little RedChurch on Sunday.Lorraine Ashdown photo

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from page 1

Tanya Voormeij-de Zwart, a friendof the family, writes, “the Koeplin fam-ily would like to say a heartfelt thankyou for your outpouring of love anddeep concern. They applaud our localfirefighters for their incredible workcontaining the fire.“Although their home is a total loss,

it could have been so much worse! Thelightning-quick response of observantneigbours in the early hours saved

both their two cats as well as theirneighbourhood.”The family’s most pressing need

is finding a place to rent. Right nowneighbours are graciously sharing theirhome but the family would like tofind a three-bedroom house, whethershort-term or long-term, as soon aspossible.People who know of a potential

rental accommodation have beenasked to contact the Undercurrent,which will pass on the message.

It didn’t take long for this house on Hood Point to become completelyengulfed by flames. While some firefighters worked on the fire, othersfanned into the neighbourhood to water down bushes and trees toprevent sparks or ash spreading the fire. Aaron Hanen photo

CPL PAULO ARREAGAB I R C M P

Bowen Island’s reputation as asafe place to live and visit is large-ly due to neighbours, businesses,and visitors helping each other out.Unfortunately, the Bowen IslandRCMP have investigated a few isolatedthefts this summer, including a theft ofand from a motor vehicle during thebaseball tournament.Some valuables were stolen from the

vehicle along with the ignition keys.Although there are fewer incidents

of crime, Bowen Island is still suscep-tible to thefts, break and enters, andother offences.We are all reminded to keep our

valuables secure and out of sight espe-cially when they will be left unattendedfor a lengthy amount of time.Opportunistic crimes are prevent-

able when simple safety measures aretaken.

Theft a reminder to keep valuables secure: RCMP

Family needs home to rent


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Dog Days ofSummer!

Thomas Britton and his dog Charlie might haveboth been on the Canucks’ injured list but theywon the costumed dog prize.

The Fierce Flyers competitive flyball team fromAbbotsford delighted the crowd (especially whenthe dogs had plans of their own.)

Ellen Nickle, aka Tinkerbell, and Sparrow relaxin the shade after the hot competition in thecostume parade.

Photos byMartha Perkins

A lot of dogs apparently don’t like to kiss in public... Amanda Ockeloen, left, coaches Buddy as he and Emily give ittheir best shot in the kissing contest; the winning smooch, centre; and a very affectionate border collie.

Carol Petersen makes sure her wolfhounds are wellnourished as they prepare to compete. Belle won thelongest tail contest.

Kaelen and her mastif Tuna race again Jean Coker and herfamily team in the weiner-eating competition.

The costume parade gave the afternoon’s event at USSC Marina a colourful start on Sunday afternoon.


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Bronc Stark, who is heading off toUBC Okanagan to study science andliterature, is presented with his $1,100scholarship by Kevin Manning andMurray Atherton. Returning law studentJeremy Bally was also awarded an$1,100 scholarship.

Movie Underthe Starsmakes magicFirst Credit Union’s mandate is to giveback to its shareholders and on Mondaynight, that included hosting the freeannual Movie Under the Stars atCrippen Park. The all-ages evening wasthe perfect opportunity to gather withfriends, enjoy a picnic and lie back andenjoy the film, Home. First Credit Unionalso presented Tourism Bowen Island$500 for co-ordinating and volunteeringat the concession stand.

Photos by Debra Stringfellow

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This past weekend, Colin Thompson umpired at theBowen Island fastpitch tournament. On Thursday morning,he got on his bicycle and started his 3,000 km ride to theFallen Firefighters Memorial in Colorado Springs. Why? Hewants to raise $70,000 to fund an innovative online therapyprogram through Vancouver Coastal Health. It will helpFirst Responders across British Columbia cope with thedevastating impact of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

There is a cure for PTSD. You can help Colin make suretherapy is available to our frontline emergency respondersby contributing to his crowdfunding campaign at

/ptsdfireride

Step up to the platefor Colin

$16.5Kraised!

Bowen Island Undercurrent August 14 2015

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