By Maxine DeHart

For some time before moving to B.C., Sandra Bower had been questioning her husband chef Richard Desnoyers (West Coast Grill 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ“ Prestige Inn) as to why spice products available within the food and beverage industry were not offered to the direct consumer. Why what was offered at the retail level was, in general, so sub-standard? He had no good answer except 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ˜Why don91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t you change that.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ When they moved to Kelowna four years ago, they started to do just that. Sandra knew they needed to figure out how to integrate into the valley and to meet people of like minds and kindred souls. They participated in local outdoor markets and offered premium, unique and rare spices, blends and culinary ingredients. Sandra quickly learned that their strength was in the artisan crafted blends and rubs. It was time to go through the certification and inspection processes required to sell as a wholesaler to high end boutique grocers and retailers. Sandra has never looked back and thespicepit.ca was born. The product has been highly successful. The full product line-up is on the website and also is available at Choices and Urban Fare, where she often provides in-store demos. Some are also offered at Buy The Sea and will soon be in Codfathers. Sandra also sells direct to restaurants with bulk pricing. Call 250-535-0571. www.thespicepit.ca.

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Podiatrist Dr. Randy Gerber, DPM has relocated his podiatry clinic to the Stewart Centre South building at 230-1855 Kirschner Road. The phone number remains the same at 250-762-6097 and the new website is www.okanaganpodiatry.ca. There is excellent parking and access.

The Downtown Kelowna association is now booking After 5 hosts for 2018. If you would like to host an After 5 or partner up with another member to host one, contact Lacey Molyneaux at lacey@downtownkelowna.com.

Congratulations to the Financial Services Department of the City of Kelowna who has been awarded The Canadian Award for Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the US and Canada (GFOA) for its annual financial report. The Canadian Award for Financial Reporting Program was established to encourage municipal governments throughout Canada to publish high-quality financial reports and to provide peer recognition and technical guidance for officials preparing these reports. Its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

New doctor in town, Dr. Spence Pentland, author of the book Being Fertile practices Chinese medicine and has worked exclusively for the past 14 years in Vancouver helping women and couples with fertility challenges. Now in Kelowna, he has connected with the Kelowna Regional Fertility Center and Dr. Wise. They have decided to conduct free monthly fertility wellness talks at their clinic at 513A Lawrence Avenue on the second Thursday of every month starting Jan. 11, 2018. Although the clinic is free, you must register as space is limited. Along with attending the clinic, attendees will also receive a free book and access to an online fertility program. For more information call 250-864-9353 or email officeatyinstill.com. Check out www.yinstill.com.

With help from the downtown Safeway, who provided the fowl and their managers assisting in the delivery, The Kelowna Club donated 100 turkeys to the Kelowna Food Bank last Thursday. The Kelowna Club was founded in 1897 and registered as a Society in 1904 before Kelowna was inaugurated and has been a part of the community since then. The history of the Kelowna Club membership is reflected in their presidents throughout the years, which included past mayors, city councillors, MP91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s, MLA91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s and prominent business leaders along with other local characters. My father-in-law, Victor DeHart was one of those characters. Previously, they have donated scholarships to students, monies to local non-profit organizations, as well as many other community endeavors. Donations from their membership allowed this gesture as part of the club91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s ongoing commitment to the well-being of our community. David Porteous is the president of The Kelowna Club.

KSS Grade 12 student Braeden Lambert won the grand prize of $2,500 tuition credit at Okanagan College91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s 36th Annual Career Fair. The College91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Career Fair is one of the Interior91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s longest running fairs and attracts hundreds of prospective students each year. Attendees were treated to post-secondary preparatory seminars, tours, activities, program information and draw prizes. Anyone who applied for a program was entered to win the grand prize.

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors has just completed their 17,000 home inspection in the Okanagan since 1995. The franchise, which is owned and operated by AHI Accredited and Certified Home Inspector Craig Hostland, completed 11,000 inspections in Kelowna, 5,000 in Vernon and the remainder spread out around the valley. Along with Craig, David Kilby and John Bannister are inspectors with the company. Pillar to Post started in Mississauga, Ontario 25 years ago and is one of the largest home inspection organizations in the country. They maintain a 1,600 point inspection program and life cycle service for their customers. Call 250-765-4134. www.pillartopost.com.

Congratulations to the McWalters Family and Dana Solski who were the grand winners of the Uptown Rutland Business Associations91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ basket of goodies contest via social media from Nov. 20 to Dec. 8. Each basket was valued at over $1,100 donated by businesses in Rutland. To enter, the community had to find a poster in a Rutland business, take a picture of it, share it and hashtag it with #rutlandlight.

°­±ð±ô´Ç·É²Ô²¹91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Jennifer Wells is one of 14 B.C. students who made the National Honour Roll for outstanding results on the multi-day National Common Final Examination (CFE) administered by the CPA Western School of Business (CPAWSB). Thirty-four other Kelowna CPA students also passed the exam. They are Landon Andrusiak, Melanie Antunes, Nicole Bazansky, Jason Bonnie, Jason Boyd, Jared Cook, Kathleen Cumming, Jaspal Dhial, Jeffrey Durrant, Randall Evans, Bradley Gunn, Clint Hastings, Devin Hilbrecht, Rohan Jacobs, Myroslav Karmazenyuk, Marlys Kaufhold, Khristian Koulev, Curtis Krause, Damian Kravontka, Rose Lariviere, Nelson Lyons, Mercedes Marleau, Laura Mitchell, Ashley Odermatt, Ravinder Pabla, Chaelene Phaneuf, Anthony Potamitis, Andrew Shaw, Pushpinder Singh, Jessica Spencer, Zheng Su, Jennie Van Dolah, Jozef Vogel, Amanda Wright.

Accolades to The Wedgwood social committee at The Wedgwood on Sutherland, a 55 plus community who raised $1,520 along with three large boxes of non-perishable food items for the Kelowna Food Bank at their food bank bazaar Dec. 9.

The final for the End of Summer Hunger 2017 campaign is $22,242. The goal in 2018 will be $40,000 and the dream in 2019 is to make End Summer Hunger a community event that other organizations and individuals can participate in with the goal of raising $100,000 each year. Organized by Francis Cheng, senior wealth advisor of Scotia Wealth Management, the following were involved in the campaign. Save On Foods, Okanagan Batman (for getting the troop excited), Team Scotia volunteers, Scotiabank matching $5,000 and Scotia Wealth for Share the Wealth Award of $6,500.

Kudos to Tim Hortons in the Central Okanagan who raised $29,091 from their annul Smile Cookie Campaign with 100 per cent of the proceeds donated to the YMCA of Okanagan. The campaign ran for one week this past fall and saw thousands of Tim Hortons customers purchase a smile cookie for one dollar. Since the local Tim Hortons stores began supporting the Y91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Healthy Snack Program in 2013, $156,317 has been raised to ensure that each year hundreds of children participating in the Y91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s preschool or out of school care program receive proper nutrition.

The Kelowna Canadian Italian Club is hosting a New Year91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Gala dinner and dance on Sunday, Dec. 31 at Parkinson Rec Centre with a percentage of the proceeds going to JoeAnna91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s House. For Tickets call Joe at 250-878-3619 or kcic@shaw.ca

Former Kelowna resident Terry Hynes has launched his new website Stories that Rhyme and Sometimes Amuse. It91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s a sampling of some of his poems over the past few years that have been published or that he has won contests with. He hopes you will enjoy them and come away with a smile on your face and feel entertained. Purchase at Mosaic Books. www.terryhyneswrites.com.

Early bird tickets are now on sale for the 13th Annual trip to the Vancouver Motorcycle Show on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 sponsored by the Kelowna & District Safety Council. Get your winter motorcycle fix and check out the new gear and toys just in time for spring. Book online and enter code 150FF www.kdsc.bc.ca/workshops-events/ or call 250-765-3163.

Birthdays of the week 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ“ Karen Stearns (Dec. 20); Rennie Wutke (Dec. 20); Joan McCormack (Dec. 20); Leah Thordarson (Dec. 20); Karen Stearns (Dec. 20); Noel Wentworth (Dec. 20); Bill Redmond (Dec. 20); Barbara Ferrier (Dec. 22); Cliff Serwa (Dec. 23); Norm Letnick (Dec. 23); Ben Saadat (Dec. 24); Dave Cullen (Dec. 24); Genelle Davidson (Dec. 24); Dee Capozzi (Dec. 24); Marie Yvonne Cleaver (Dec. 25); Raquel Rose (Dec. 25); Samantha Cullen (Dec. 25); Curtis Scriber (Dec. 25); Chris Cleaver (Dec. 26).

Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna City Councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546, fax 250-860-3173, E-mail maxdehart@telus.net; maxinedehart.ca.

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