Straight From DeHart - May 15, 2024

Fripp Warehousing at 1005 Ethel Street is celebrating 40 years in business and 30 years in Kelowna and the Okanagan. Owned and operated by Claire Fripp, Fripp Warehousing was originally started in Tisdale, Saskatchewan by Claire’s dad and was relocated to Kelowna by Claire in 1995. Fripp Warehousing is a 100,000 square foot, full-service commercial warehouse, with a commercial cooler space option ranging from 500 to 8,000 square feet. and a 10,000 square foot freezer. They offer commercial storage solutions at competitive prices and are strategically located between Calgary and Vancouver offering a variety of solutions. Fripp takes products in, stores them and then distributes them dock to dock. They also do cross-stocking from huge trailers to smaller trucks for local distribution, which are mostly perishables. Fripp Warehousing deals in everything from air conditioners, artificial turf and straws, to finished goods and food. Just about anything can go through their warehouse. The company has ten loading bays and hydraulic dock levelers. They also offer outdoor storage space in their fenced, two-acre property with high security. Fripp can help you with packaging and distribution added value servies to help you store, manage and distribute your goods. Claire’s daughter Jennifer Fripp is the operations manager and Randy Schick is the General Manager of the company. www.frippwarehousing.com

One hundred years ago, a Scottish settler names James Dun-Waters built an unusual barn on his estate in the Okanagan’s Fintry Delta. The building featured innovative designs, including a concrete floor and a central silo that allowed his prize herd of Ayrshire cattle to be fed and milked effectively and to enable their waste to be collected efficiently. The Octagonal Dairy Barn now included in the BC Registry of heritage buildings is believed to be the last standing eight-sided barn in BC. The Friends of Fintry, the society that manages the Fintry Estate is celebrating the centennial of this remarkable building on Saturday, June 8th. They will be demonstrating traditional farm practices and lead tours that highlight the barn’s peculiarities and qualities. There will be tractor rides for the kids and a BBQ. Drop in any time from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the 8th. Kathy Drew is the President of The Friends of Fintry Provincial Park Society.

CanScribe Career College has been awarded the prestigious 2024 International Impact Company of the Year Award by Dotcom Magazine. The annual awards recognize entrepreneurs and companies that are leading the way in making a positive impact in their industries and communities. They celebrate companies that exemplify entrepreneurship, innovation, customer dedication and a commitment to their employees and communities. In 2024, CanScribe stood out as an exemplary organization that embodies these values. Colleen Chapman is the CEO of CanScribe Career College and Justin Chapman is the COO. www.canscribe.com

Kelowna Cocktail Bar, Born to Shake at #110 – 889 Vaughn Avenue is now serving authentic Montreal-style bagels from none other than Siegel’s Bagels, flown in fresh from Vancouver, adding to its Sunday Funday lineup. Renowned for their chewy crumb and subtle sweetness, these bagels will be a treat for both Kelowna natives and Vancouverites now living in our city. Owned and operated by Shayne Labis and Nicole Barron, Born to Shake is a one-stop-shop for all things cocktails.

Bell Media are hosting their Annual Day of Giving on May 15th in partnership and support of the KGH Foundation. This is their opportunity to work together and shape the future of cancer care at KGH, specifically the diagnosis and primary treatment of cancers, including breast, prostate, pancreatic, brain, stomach, colon and many more that affect so any of us and our loved ones. You can help by giving at www.kghfoundation.com. Thanks to the generosity of local families, gifts made until 11:59 P.M on May 15th will be matched, dollar for dollar. The Bell Media team will be on live broadcast and remote the entire day.

Dr. Heather McEachern, Ph.D., R.Pscyh. was born and raised in Kelowna and adopted as an infant by parents with long roots in Kelowna. Her mom Kay was a Kirschner and her dad, John McEachern moved here before serving in WWII. Her birth parents are also Kelowna folks. Heather returned here after three degrees at UBC in Vancouver and U of Calgary as a child and adult psychologist. She is now sharing her successful adoption story on Friday, May 24th at noon online with insights for professionals, parents and children. It’s titled A Rose for a Rose Special Series ADOPTION How To’s with Dr. McEachern. Information on the webinar can be found by visiting Kelowna Psychologists Group at www.kelownaphychologists.com or for other upcoming webinars.

Wild Harvest BC is a beautiful, colorful book by Linda Gabris and is a Forager’s guide to edible plants in British Columbia. Foraging is looking for wild edibles in the natural landscape and has becoming a popular pursuit these days as more and more people discover wild foodstuffs. Wild Harvest BC is both an identification guide and a cookbook with sections on greens, berries, tree fruits, nuts, and mushrooms. Each edible is followed by recipe suggestions, including how about a Caesar salad made with dandelion greens, pickled wild asparagus and cattail shoots in lemon butter. Morel mushrooms are abundant right now in the wake of the wildfires. Perhaps you can try fettucine with prawns and morels. The book is available at Mosaic Books and is distributed by Nancy Wise of Sandhill Book Marketing, which is Distribution for Small Press & Independent Publishers.

Barbara Gregory is celebrating her 10th anniversary with volunteer organization Kelowna Hostess. If you would like to join this wonderful volunteer organization, contact Roberta Withers at davebert@shaw.ca. Darlene Hass and Grace Naka are the co-chairs of Kelowna Hostess. Many organizations in our city have used the services of the Kelowna Hostess as they bring sparkle to any event. They will be helping at the Maxine DeHart, United Way Drive-Thru Breakfast on October 17th.

McHappy Days was a huge success, raising over $45,000.00 in just one day from all the McDonalds from West Kelowna to Lake Country in nine locations.

Well-known morning guy, B Mack from 99.9 Virgin Radio’s Morning Show wrapped up a two-week campaign to help out the family of Adrain Bonner, who tragically passed away at the age of 42. B Mack had grown an unruly beard over the winter and with some nudging by his co-worker at AM 1150, Phil Johnson, the Bell Media team created a fundraiser to help increase the donations to the Bonner/Atkinson family GoFundMe page. The B Mack Shaves It Forward Campaign was able to raise a whopping $3,000.00 extra. Donors were encouraged to choose one of three facial hair styling on the Virgin Radio website and the most voted was “The Balbo” facilitated by Pink the Barber at ManMade Barbershop on Clement. If you would like to help visit www.gofundme.com/f/adrian-bonner

Alex Recsky was hired as Okanagan College’s first recreation and intramurals programmer in 1986. It was a job he loved and pursued with passion until his retirement 10 years later, introducing thousands of students to sport and recreation opportunities. Now, Alex’s family are honoring him and his wife Ruth, who are both in their 90’s with a $30,000.00 donation to the Thrive Here Campaign for the Recreation and Wellness Center at OC’s Kelowna campus.

The Kelowna Old Time Fiddlers 28th Annual Fiddle Event is May 31st and June 1st, at Rutland Centennial Hall. This year, world-renowned singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, teacher, archivist, band leader, sideman, producer and promoter (yes, no kidding) Daniel Lapp will be performing with Daniel Gervais, who plays a variety of fiddle styles and completed a Master of Music Degree in classical violin, along with have performed at the 2012 London Olympics and Carnegie Hall in New York. They will be performing on Saturday, June 1st from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and then Daniel Gervais will perform again at 2:00 p.m. and Daniel Lapp will perform again at 3:30 p.m. followed by a jam session from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. For more information on the event visit www.bcfiddlers.com/branches/kelowna/specialevents

The AGM of the Downtown Kelowna Association is Wednesday, June 5th from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Kelowna Yacht Club. Business and property owners within the downtown Kelowna BIA boundary are invited to the AGM. Meet Me on Bernard returns to downtown Kelowna on Friday, May 17th in the 200 Block of Bernard Avenue, from the Sails to Water Street. Food and beverage establishments participating in the city’s Extended Patio Program will be setting up their roadway patios in time for the May long weekend. Beginning Wednesday, May 15th at 6:00 a.m. the 200 Block of Bernard Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic to prepare for the initiative.

Okanagan Pet Expo is May 26th for pet lovers and furry friends alike at the Laurel Packinghouse and Square for a day filled with tail-wagging excitement. Net proceeds are going to Paws It Forward. There are three events including The Hammock Hound Tiki Pawty, So Fetch Pug Dash, and WOW the Yard Weenie Waggle. For tickets and more information visit www.okanaganpetexpo.com

Birthdays of the week – Happy 60th Stan Martindale (May 16); John Davina (May 15); Debra Mauro (May 15); Frank Stewart (May 15); Lori McCormack (May 16); Jamie Tawil (May 16); Judi Ronacher (May 16); John Glennon (May 16); Michael Dorsel (May 16); Judy Syrnyk (May 17); Brent Lobson (May 17); Margaret Kinney (May 17); Tammi Watson (May 17); Barb Chapman (May 18); Rae Stewart (May 18); Wendy Soon (May 18); Klein Felt (May 19); Robert Moore (May 20); Carrie Metzger (May 20); Patrick Ray (May 21); Elfriede Schmoll (May 21); Regan Bartel (May 21); Beryl Itani (May 21); Judy Stewart, (May 21).

Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna City Councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546 or 250-862-7662. E-mail max@maxinedehart.ca