alberni valley news, december 25, 2014

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www.albernivalleynews.com A3Alberni Valley News - Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014

◆ COVER STORY

Earnie Bodger has created more than 1,000 stars to sell as a fundraiser for the ADSS Breakfast Program over the past two years. This year he raised more than $2,000, which will be matched by Scotiabank.

SUSAN QUINNALBERNI VALLEY NEWS

SUSAN QUINNALBERNI VALLEY NEWS

Earnie Bodger of Port Alberni is a star in the eyes of the ADSS Breakfast Program volunteers.

Bodger—known as the Star Man—raised well over $2,000 for the program by selling glittery stars, which Scotiabank will match, customer representative Kathy Ruissen said..

“It’s amazing, the support he’s shown for us,” says Melody Burton, chair of the ADSS Breakfast Program.

Bodger, 93 and a veteran of the Second World War, started making his stars six years ago, but only a few at first.

“The first three years I was busy building a model railroad [which has been displayed at the Port Alberni Train Station]. I didn’t really get into the stars until three or four years ago,” he said.

The ceiling in his living room is covered in stars, and people will often come to his home to buy stars. “It’s my showcase,” he said.

For two years his stars were sold at an art show booth at the Italian Hall after he was approached by another artist. He made $300 the first year.

This is his second year selling his stars at Scotiabank. He chose the Breakfast Program to raise funds for because the bank

supports the program and will match the funds. “And this is my bank,” he said.

Bodger started making this year’s batch of stars in January, shortly after selling the bulk of his supply last Christmas. He has a workshop in his home where he meticulously cuts out the star parts from recycled cardboard, then coats them with glue and fine glitter in varying colours. The stars themselves are three-dimensional and an adult can easily fit two or three of them in the palm of the hand.

Some of the stars are much larger with more intricate parts, and these models Bodger started making so he could personalize them with letters that he has also cut out.

By last Friday, he has sold most of the 500–700 stars he created for this year’s fundraiser.

Bodger’s health has suffered in the past year, but he still managed to bring his table full of stars to Scotiabank in the Redford Plaza all last week.

As for the Star Man, he’s thinking of making crosses he can sell at Easter; he made several small and large crosses that sold well at Christmas, and he hopes to add this new fundraiser for the Breakfast Program. “If I’m still alive,” he said, grinning.

[email protected]

War vet uses creative talent to feed youth

Drunk driving persists despite enforcement: RCMPSUSAN QUINN

ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS

The “don’t drink and drive” message does not appear to be getting through to drivers in the Alberni Valley, says Port Alberni RCMP Inspector Mac Richards.

During the RCMP’s night shift on Saturday, Dec. 20, five people in four hours had their driving privileges suspended

due to alcohol consumption.

“Despite numerous media campaigns and enforcement efforts over the past three decades the perils of driving while impaired still has not resonated with all drivers,” Richards said in a statement released to media.

“The Port Alberni RCMP will continue to do its part to make our roads safe by detecting and

removing impaired drivers from our streets.”

Alcohol and drug impairment is the third highest contributing factor to motor vehicle fatalities in B.C., according to the Ministry of Justice.

(Speed and distraction are the top two contributing factors, respectively.)

Of the 269 people killed in the last year, 63 died because someone was under

the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Insurance Corporation of B.C. statistics show 59 per cent of impaired-related crashes happen on the weekend, with 43 per cent taking place between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. On average, 86 people die in B.C. every year due to impaired driving.

“So many crashes could be prevented—they happen because

drivers make bad choices, such as speeding, trying to text or talk on a cell while driving, or drinking and driving,” Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone said in a statement last month.

“If you plan ahead and make safe choices, you can save a life.”

CounterAttack—the RCMP’s campaign to reduce impaired

driving—started in 1977 and since then there has been a decrease in the number of impaired driving fatalities, a Coquitlam RCMP spokesperson noted while promoting Five on the Fifth, a national impaired driving enforcement day.

“However, because impaired driving fatalities are 100 per cent preventable, even one fatality is one too many.”

◆ IF YOU SUSPECT an impaired driver, pull over and call 9-1-1 with the vehicle’s license plate number.

◆ IMPAIRED DRIVERS often make large turns, tailgate, speed or drive too slowly, and drift in and out of traffic lanes.

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THE TOP

FiveSOME SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR WEEK AHEAD

Polar Bear Swim

Think you’ll need help waking up after New Year’s? Well come on down to Canal Beach on Jan. 1 for the 2nd annual Canal Beach Polar Bear Swim sponsored by 93.3 The Peak. The swim starts at noon sharp but parking fills up fast so come early. Shuttles will be available to take swimmers and spectators down to the beach from the Coulson building in uptown. After the swim, come warm up in the warming tent with free hot dogs, coffee and hot chocolate. There’ll be prizes for oldest swimmer, best costume and best group costume and you might even see the beach’s most stalwart supporter dip his toes into the frigid waters.

Bulldogs vs. KingsCome out and cheer on your Alberni Valley

Bulldogs as they take on the Powell River Kings on Saturday, Dec. 27 at the AV Multiplex. Puck drops at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.albernivalleybulldogs.ca

First Night Celebration

Do you have kids to tire out on New Years Eve? Well thanks to Parks & Rec, the Port Alberni Toy Run and Boston Pizza, the kids can enjoy the free First Night Family Celebration You can come to the AV Multiplex for on-ice games and a family skate from 5-7 p.m., or Echo Centre pool for a family swim with pool games, prizes and pizza from 6-8 p.m. or to Glenwood Centre from 6-9 p.m. for roller blading, dancing, prizes and snacks.

Art Rave SocialCome out to Char’s Landing on Wednesday, Dec. 31 from

7-10 p.m. for a free glass of champagne and the second of Art Rave Alberni’s monthly socials. There’ll be music, lively discussion, a live art demonstration and a silent auction to benefit the Art Rave Society of Alberni. Everyone 19+ is welcome and drinks and tapas will be available for purchase. For info call Jill at 250-720-2101.

Christmas Tree RecyclingAfter Santa Claus has come and the presents are unwrapped,

it’s time to get rid of that tree. Luckily, the city’s parks department has a “green solution;” the composting program where they will chip and mulch your tree and give it a second life. Drop offs are by donation at the AV Multiplex north parking lot on Jan. 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., with proceeds going to the Port Alberni KidSport Chapter.


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Black Press buys Glacier newspapers

Black Press, parent company of the Alberni Valley News, has acquired a number of newspaper titles and related publications and digital properties from Glacier Media. Among the publications included in the purchase are the Westerly News and the AV Times.

“We have purchased the following; The Nanaimo Daily News, The Harbour City Star, the Alberni Valley Times, the Cowichan Citizen, Parksville Oceanside Star, Tofino/Ucluelet Westerly News, the

Comox Valley Echo, and Campbell River Courier on Vancouver Island as well as the Surrey Now, Langley Advance and Maple Ridge Times in the Lower Mainland,” Black Press president and CEO Rick O’Connor said.

Black Press will take over operations in Courtenay-Comox, Ucluelet/Tofino (The Westerly News) and Oceanside Star on Jan. 1, 2015 and the remainder of the publications and their websites on March 2nd, 2015.

In a separate transaction, Black Press is also selling the Tri-City News, Burnaby New West Newsleader and the Richmond Review to Glacier Media. They will assume operational control of these operations on March 2nd, 2015 as well.

“While we are pleased with the acquisitions, we are disappointed to be selling these excellent community newspapers. We believe in the value our Black Press colleagues at these newspapers have created and the many longtime staff members will be missed,” O’Connor said in a press release.

“However, as we move through these changing times in media, it is important that we align our strategic interests to better position the company for the future.

We are great believers in community newspapers and the value they provide. With these changes, we believe readers and advertisers will be better served and the company will be stronger moving forward.”

Youth brings Pride back to townKATYA SLEPIAN

ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS

When Colin Simister, 19, threw up a Facebook post on Monday night asking about getting a Pride event going again in Port Alberni he never expected the surge of support that followed.

“I posted just to see what would happen, just to see what people would do and it was so phenomenal,” said Simister.

The reaction was a complete 180 from what he experienced when he first came out at 16.

“When I first came out of the closet there was family that was leery...they don’t speak to me anymore. There were friends who I

had who I thought were friends and they flipped off the handle and they no longer speak to me. But at the same time there were family who were there to support me and friends that were there to support me.

I’m just glad I didn’t lose everybody.”

While it’s gotten better since then, acceptance still isn’t guaranteed.

“It depends on exactly what part of town you’re in. There have been times

when I’ve walked downtown, when I’ve had a partner hand-in-hand, where I’ve gotten death threats. I’ve gotten people who have thrown stuff at me,” he said. “But then there’s times when

I’ve walked around town and a person has said ‘good on you’ and times when it’s completely quiet. It’s like anywhere, it’s up and down.”

Since then, he’s been frustrated by the lack of options and support for LGBT youth here. “I guess it was just the lack of celebration for it. I always had to go outside of town to go to Pride, to Vancouver Pride or Victoria. I always had to leave town...why do I have to leave where I live, where I’m comfortable to go celebrate who I am? Why can’t I do something here?”

Having decided that he’d waited long enough, Simister decided to plan something himself.

Continued / A27

KATYA SLEPIAN/ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS

Colin Simister, 19, is trying to resurrect a Pride event for Port Alberni. He’s planning a public barbecue for July 26, 2015.


V VICTORIA – In case you missed the outcome

of the latest United Nations climate change conference in Lima, Peru, it was another costly, embarrassing failure.

This one is likely to be remembered mostly for a staggeringly stupid stunt by Greenpeace employees, who were threatened with prosecution for defacing the Nazca Lines, a world heritage site in the Peruvian desert.

These vast 1,500-year-old petroglyphs, visible from space, are among the great mysteries of archaeology. “Time for a change!” blared huge yellow cloth letters dragged across the sacred site by paid protesters trampling the delicate terrain. I’ll say it’s time for a change, starting with scratching Greenpeace off your Christmas card list.

Earlier there was the

spectacle of Canada’s national media, reflexively denouncing Ottawa’s supposed inaction on greenhouse gases after U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a surprise climate agreement with China in advance of Peru.

“Over to you, Mr. Prime Minister,” chirped CBC anchor Wendy Mesley, joining other TV networks in falsely portraying the U.S. deal as a breakthrough.

This non-binding gesture soon produced many cartoons, one of which shows Obama stripped to his underwear in a poker game with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is surrounded by a pile of chips and an American flag.

The U.S.-China announcement served as a preview of Peru, where developing countries would again refuse any substantive restrictions on their fuel use. China

graciously agreed to continue ramping up its world-leading greenhouse gas emissions until 2030, while lame-duck Obama pretended he could commit the U.S. to further reductions.

Between them, the U.S. and China account for about half of global human-caused carbon

emissions. Due mostly to the surge from China and India, Canada’s share has fallen from two per cent to 1.5, which should help put all those “tar sands”

protests into perspective.Days later, Environment

Canada released its latest national emission statistics, an event ignored by most media.

“Between 2005 and 2012, total Canadian GHG emissions decreased by 5.1 per cent, while the economy grew by 10.6 per cent over the same period,” the report states.

B.C. Environment

Minister Mary Polak joinedthe throngs who jetted to Lima. There she met officials from California and other U.S. states to re-announce their modest efforts to put a price on carbon emissions.

Television anchors and other wide-eyed innocents might have been left with the mistaken impression that the huge U.S. petroleum industry is cutting back, when in fact it has grown enormously thanks to shale oil and gas production.

And California continues to produce, by its own state government measure, the most carbon-intensive heavy crude in North America.

Overshadowing all of this is the drop in the world price of oil, mainly the result of Saudi Arabia flooding the market in an effort to push competitors out of business.

In the latest sign of the U.S. public’s lack of interest in reducing emissions, sales of larger vehicles immediately spiked up as gasoline prices fell.

Continued / A9

TOM FLETCHERB.C. Views

Climate talks end 2014 in disarray

To report corrections and clarifications, contact editor Susan Quinn at 250-723-6399 or e-mail: [email protected] or drop by our office at 4656 Margaret St.

Commitmentto accuracyWe welcome your original comments on editorials, columns, on topics in the

Alberni Valley News or any subjects important to you. Only letters that include name, address, and day and evening phone numbers and that are verified by the Alberni Valley News can be considered for publication. Letters to the editor and articles submitted to the Alberni Valley News may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.

The Alberni Valley News is a member of the B.C. Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, P.O. Box 1356, Ladysmith, B.C., V9G 1A9. For information phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org.

TO COMMENT …

NEWSAlberni Valley

The Alberni Valley News is published every Thursday by Black Press Ltd., 4656 Margaret St., Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 6H2. Phone: (250) 723-6399. Fax: (250) 723-6395.Classifieds: 1-855-310-3535.The Alberni Valley News is distributed free to 9,500 households in Port Alberni, Cherry Creek, Sproat Lake and Beaver Creek. The Alberni Valley News is Vancouver Island owned and operated.

Publisher: Teresa BirdEditor: Susan Quinn

EDITORIAL

Don’t drink and drive

Drivers in Port Alberni aren’t getting the message when it comes to impaired driving.

And that is a real worry as we enter the holiday celebratory season, when many people are on the road to visit family, both locally and on two segments of Highway 4 (east and west) that are

oftentimes challenging to drive at this time of year.

In British Columbia, drunk driving is the third highest factor contributing to motor vehicle fatalities behind speed and distracted driving. This after nearly 40 years of Counter

Attack impaired driving campaigns—and in the Alberni Valley, three decades of media campaigns and enforcement efforts.

We cannot fault the RCMP for these types of statistics, for they are diligently out on patrol, conducting roadside checks and pulling over suspected impaired drivers. RCMP officers are the ones making our community a little safer by pulling impaired drivers off the road.

However, they can’t do it all by themselves. We as a community must take responsibility too, and drive responsibly.

Those who do observe the law can also help by calling 9-1-1 if they suspect a driver of being impaired, or by asking someone for their car keys at a party.

Have a Merry Christmas; enjoy a fun New Year’s Eve with friends. But be responsible about how you are going to get home.

Call a friend. Call a cab. Please, we implore you, don’t drink or drug and drive.

— Alberni Valley News

‘The U.S.-China

announcement served asa previewof Peru.’

C A N A D I A NCOMMUNITYNEWSPAPERAWARD 2012

2012CCNA

Somehow, in our ‘western’ world, we got things all mixed up. We were taught by classical thinkers that this was an impersonal universe, created by chance, and without any purpose. At the same time, deep within each of us is a deep spiritual recognition that there is something beyond us, and that we are somehow connected to every other living creature. In the Christian faith tradition, we call that connector and connectedness ‘God’. We believe that God created and

creates the world. We believe that the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus is a sign that cares for all of us and each of us. Jesus is ‘Emmanuel’ (‘God-with-us’). As one modern creed puts it, ‘We are not alone, we live in God’s world’. Celebrate that love this year! Christmas is a good time to start.

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◆ OPINION

LettersMail: Letters, Alberni Valley News, 4656 Margaret St., Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 6H2 Fax: 250-723-6395E-mail: [email protected]

Letters should be no longer than 300 words and will be edited. Include your address and phone number (although those won’t be published) and a first name or two initials. We won’t publish anonymous letters, or letters to third parties.We regret that, due to the volume of letters we receive, not all will be printed.

Mailbag: The jolly old elf himself writes a letter to the editor

Valley peoplemost generous

To the Editor,I wish to thank all

residents of the Alberni Valley for their generosity during the holiday season to those in need.

Port Alberni is truly the Heart of Vancouver Island.

As a gift to all Alberni Valley residents, I will proclaim as I fly to your community on Dec. 25:“Alberni Valley is the best place to live in the world!”

Santa Claus,North Pole

Celebrate what we’ve got here

To the Editor, Our community would

benefit from more tourism. To help us divert some of the flow of Pacific Rim tourists, we need an attraction that no other island community can offer.

What have we got? We are surrounded by natural beauty that attracts nature lovers, hikers, bikers, birders, cyclists and fishers. We have miles of trails for access to our forests, lakes and streams. Among our other resources we have a community forest, an operating heritage mill, and an Industrial Heritage Society of skilled members and retirees who continually amaze me with their ingenuity and resourcefulness.

John Mayba had a great idea: a walking/cycling bridge across Rogers Creek.

Well, I propose that we build it as a grand trestle bridge over the creek to connect matching contours using our own wood, mill, engineering and construction talents.

I imagine a wide pathway for strollers, separate lanes for cyclists and frequent viewing platforms off each side. It would emerge from the treetops at each end and provide overviews of the forest canopy and breathtaking scenery.

A homemade trestle should be fairly cheap and have minimal impact on the park beneath it.

If feasible, I would propose it to have a single traffic

lane, wide enough to accommodate emergency vehicles only.

If done with imagination and flair, it might inspire newcomers, attract tourists and become an iconic landmark of Port Alberni which we will need when our mighty airplanes fly away.

Wesley Brick,Port Alberni

City needs to cut police cost

To the Editor,Re: Don’t cut our RCMP

services, Letters, Dec. 11.I’m pleased to see real

discussion re: Port Alberni’s budget and even more with new Mayor Mike Ruttan’s willingness to examine genuine issues.

Residents seem to want lower taxes and more service. A cheaper source of pens won’t cut it. The largest component of 2013 expenditure is policing at 20 per cent, compared to 17 per cent for Parks & Rec, 13 per cent for public works, moving down the list.

In 2006 policing was 15 per cent. Meanwhile crime statistics in Port Alberni, as everywhere in B.C. and the developed world, are dropping like a stone due to demographic changes.

Our community is strong and safe. That the largest share of our public expense is policing is nonsensical to me. Do our police do good work? Of course, but public money is precious and must be used wisely.

Significant percentage changes to the largest budgetary components are the only way to rationalize our budget issues.

If policing went back to 15 per cent with a goal of being 10 per cent of the budget, would officers stop solving crimes or responding to calls for assistance? Or would it reflect the real quality of life this city has to offer and possibly enable lower taxes or other programs and services that would result in even more positive outcomes?

I suspect the latter is true.Peter Ayres,Port Alberni

From / A8I’m still receiving

criticism for a recent column in which I declared myself an “agnostic” on human-caused global warming.

Agnostic means searcher, and my search has continued for real signs of climate change and its potential causes.

Our glaciers are receding, no question, but the current trend started around the 1850s, when a sport utility vehicle had one horsepower in leather harness and

British Columbia was about to be declared a British colony.

But amid the noise, there is serious evidence being put forward that our province is undergoing a climate shift with major consequences.

And there are calls for action.

I’ll discuss that next week.

Tom Fletcher is legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press.

Twitter: @tomfletcherbc

E-mail: [email protected]

Writer still searches for truth on climate

QUESTION

weekof the

Vote at: www.albernivalleynews.comSee us also on Facebook.com

This week’s question:

Were you able to help out with a charity this year?

Do you think the city should close McLean Mill?

Yes – 42.9% No – 57.1%

? !

KATYA SLEPIAN/ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS

Santa Claus surprises Hunter Sorensen, 2, with a gift and a visit to his home on Monday, Dec. 22. Santa visited several children in the Alberni Valley this week before having to head back to the North Pole to prepare for his Christmas Eve flight.


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4521-10th Avenue(former Western Bus Lines office).

250.724-9800B&A Transmissions

Your Transmission Specialists

B&A Transmissions wishes everyone the best of the holidays.

We thank you for making 2014 such a successful year and look forward to helping you in 2015

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Holiday Special 2014

Featuring holiday stories by local authors & greetings from Valley businesses


Merry Christmas!Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season,

a Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year ahead!From the Canadian Tire Staff

STORE HOURSMon. to Fri. 8am–8pm

Sat. 8am–7pm • Sun. 9am–5pm

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Birthday surprise

Playing at the rink

First Place K-2SelahPort Alberni Christian School.

Sarah sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all afternoon. The lights twin-kled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena.

When they woke up

under the Christmas Tree, they went to the door. They tried to open it, but it was locked.

They went and got skates and skated around. A big net full of balloons fell down.

They looked up and a bunch of people yelled, “Surprise!”

It was Sarah’s birthday!They took out a big tram-

poline and jumped on it.

Candy started to fall from the sky. They ate it all.

They spent the rest of the day under the Christmas tree, eating candy canes and opening presents. Inside one present, there was another present, then inside that, there was a box full of candy.

They drove in a bus and went to the zoo. They saw an owl, a cheetah and a puma.

Honorable Mention K-2SarahPort Alberni Christian School.


They hid in a box. They were getting cozy because they lived there. They wanted to play, so they got out of the box and they took skates and skated on the skating rink. They went off to get some snacks form the fridge that was there. They washed their hands and had a picnic at the park inside the skating

rink. They ate a sandwich with lettuce, ham, cheese, pickle, mustard, ketchup and bologna and tomato. They had apple and orange juice.

The skating rink opened because it was day time now. They went home. They got to the library and picked a book about a monster eating a fi sh.

Happy Holidays!If you awoke to fi nd yourself locked inside the Multiplex,

what would you do? That’s the question we posed to aspiring authors in our

annual Holiday Story Contest. Writers from kindergarten to adult were asked to write 300 words to complete a story that started with:

Sarah sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all afternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena.

More than 100 writers of all ages responded to the chal-lenge. The winning entries (and a few honourable men-tions) are presented over the next few pages for you to enjoy over the holiday season. Choosing just a few was a tough decision, but we think you will fi nd this collection of stories both imaginative and entertaining.

Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all those who entered. A special thanks to the teachers who made the story contest a class project.

Thank you too, to our local businesses who have generously supported this project with their advertising in this section. As always, we encourage you to support them and our community in 2015.

Happy holidays from everyoneat Alberni Valley News

HOLIDAY SPECIAL


Kiwanis Club of Port Alberni

For club info please contactDan at 250-724-5681

We Wish Everyone A Very Merry Christmas &

A Healthy, Happy and Prosperous 2015!

6781476

Staff & Management

“Wish Everyone a Happy Holiday Season

and a Prosperous New Year”

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HOPE IT’S SPECIALMay the holiday season fill you with happiness!

Thank you for making 2014 a great year!

4309 10th Ave. (corner of Roger & 10th) 250-724-0827 6781

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Locked in, in trouble

Emergency atthe Multiplex

First Place Grade 3-5Paige Kiersten FranksPort Alberni Christian School.


Everyone had left. They were alone and they were cold. Benjamin sat up from under the tree too. A branch fell off the tree and landed on his head.

Sarah and Benjamin tried to get up. They still had their skates on from earlier that afternoon. They skated to the entrance door of the arena and pushed. They pushed with all their might. But it wouldn’t budge. It

was locked. There was no doubt about it. They were locked in. No one was there. The place was de-serted. Benjamin and Sarah looked at each other and said at the exact same time ...HELP!

But no one could hear them. Sarah asked Ben-jamin how long they had been in the cold arena. But Benjamin didn’t know. Sarah said out loud,

“There were people here when we fell asleep. So that means that the owner Dave didn’t see us when he locked up because we blended in with the tree so well.“

“Brrr, it sure is cold in here.”

“Yeah it is pretty cold in here,” agreed Sarah.”We got to get out of here be-fore we freeze.”

“Did you bring your cell-phone?” Asked Benjamin.

“Yeah I did, but I left it in the locker room,” Sarah said.

Hey I have an idea! We could try to open that win-dow over there on the left. We could jump out into the snow. It isn’t that big of a drop, right?”

“I guess it’s our only way out,” said Sarah. “Let’s do it!”

So they skated over to the window and held each other’s hand, counted to three and then jumped! Benjamin got up out of the snow and helped Sarah up.

They ran to Sarah’s house. When they opened the door Sarah’s mother was sitting at the kitchen table. They had to explain what had just happened. They’re in TROUBLE.

Hon. Mention Grade 3-5Zac OfferienPort Alberni Christian School.

Sarah sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all af-ternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena.

When they woke up they saw that they weren’t alone, there was a guy in there with them.

After awhile they couldn’t see him anymore because he was trying to get out, he was trapped in the arena too.

The problem is that the lights were off and the only thing that they could see was the Christmas tree, so they couldn’t fi nd the door.

The guy found the door and started pushing. When he was pushing he slipped and cracked his head open. After, Benjamin and Sarah rushed over there to help him but they couldn’t fi nd him because it was so dark.

Then Benjamin found a covered window. He took away the stuff that was covering the

window. Finally they just had enough light to see the hurt man. Sarah found a phone so she went to the window for light then she phoned 911, but no one answered. They had to fi nd a way out and get the hurt man to the hospital.

So Sarah looked

through the Christ-mas presents because she saw a key there earlier. At last Sarah unlocked the door and got him to the hospital.

When they got home and explained what happened Sarah’s mother was very pleased they had helped the man.

Santa rescuesSecond Place K-2AsherPort Alberni Christian School.

Sarah sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter

wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all af-ternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena.

Then they wake

up. Then they were

sparkling, because Santa came.

(Asher, Grade 1, wrote this story in his own printing, all the words spelled correctly!)

HOLIDAY SPECIAL


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Locked Up In A Winter Wonderland

Science specimen

Second Place Grade 3-5Emma Willman

Sara sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter Wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all af-ternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena. Ben-

jamin sat up and stretched. “Sarah, I’m starving!” Ben-jamin said. “Let’s go home and ask mum if we can have burgers for dinner!” Benjamin got up and skated towards the door. Sudden-ly, a cold shiver of fear ran down her spine. “B-Benja-min?” Sara asked. “What if we’re...we’re...locked in?!”

“Oh that wouldn’t happen in a million years!” Benjamin replied, stress free. Benjamin pushed at the door that led out of the arena and grunted. “It won’t budge!” He said. “Oh no!” Sarah screamed. “HELP HELP!” Sarah skated up to the door and started banging frantically at it and screaming

and crying, while Benjamin paced muttering darkly, “We’ll starve before anyone fi nds us!” Gasping for breath, Sarah leaned up against the door. Then she noticed the huge Christmas tree she had woken under. “We can climb up that!” She said, pointing to the lovely tree. “Oh boy! Sara’s gone

crazy!” Benjamin said. Sarah just rolled her eyes and skated over to the tree. Sarah carefully took off her fi gure skates and began to climb up the tree. It wobbled and wob-bled until it fi nally fell on the ice, while Sarah just managed to scramble up to the top of the glass. Sarah was just about to breathe a

sigh of relief, when she realized she was teetering between a fallen tree and hard, cold ground. “No!” Sarah cried out. “I really don’t want to end up in the hos-pital on Christmas Eve!” Suddenly, red sparkles showered down on her! She fl oated down to the ground slowly. Soon Benjamin came fl oating down, too!

They both hugged each other and said in unison “We were saved by Christmas magic!” They ran to the exit to fi nd the door waiting wide open. On their way home they heard the sound of jingling bells, and a jolly voice shouting “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

First Place Grade 6-8Paul FadeyiPort Alberni Christian School.

Sarah sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep

after skating all af-ternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena.

When they woke up they realized that everyone had left the ice rink and they started to panic. They hurried to the door but it

was locked. Sarah tried to use her cell phone to call some-one, but it had no reception. Benja-min decided if they waited someone would come for them. After about two hours they saw a white sticky note, on the ground. So

they skated to the note to read it.

It said: “You are stuck here as an experiment in our science lab.”

Suddenly the many lights came on and they hear a voice.

“So you have seen the note.” . He said they were going to conduct a series of tests on Benjamin and Sarah.

They felt scared and shocked, then suddenly an army of wild cats and wolves come out of the Christmas tree and were about attack but then disappeared.

The voice said, “That was Stage One. Time for Stage Two.”

Next a pile of snakes came out of the tree, but Sarah noticed the snakes were twitching. So she walked up to the snakes and touched them. They were fake! They were only holo-graphs. Everything was fake.

Sarah then remembered she had fallen during her skating trip and fainted. Then she woke up in a hos-pital with Benjamin and her parents by her side.

HOLIDAY SPECIAL

Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014 - Alberni Valley News A18 www.albernivalleynews.com www.albernivalleynews.com AAlberni Valley News - Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014 15

Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014 - Alberni Valley News A16 www.albernivalleynews.com www.albernivalleynews.com A17Alberni Valley News - Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014

Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014 - Alberni Valley News A18 www.albernivalleynews.com www.albernivalleynews.com AAlberni Valley News - Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014 15


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Honourable MentionGrade 6-8Lucas OfferinPort Alberni Christian School

Sara sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter Wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all af-ternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena. After a while Sarah and Benjamin started to get hungry. So they climbed out of the ice rink, took off their ice skates, went upstairs and they broke open the vending machine. After they ate they decided to skate. So they skated so much that they got really good at it. Then they fell

asleep until the next day. The next day the janitor came to clean up and he found Sarah and Benjamin. Then they got out and went home. After that Sarah and Benjamin went for a walk. On the way they saw a poster on a telephone pole, the poster said that there was an

ice skating tourna-ment and the prize was $1,000,000! So Sarah and Benjamin went and practiced for the rest of the day. On the day of the tournament it was time for Sarah ans Benjamin to do their routine. There was a spin, a fl ip, a quadruple back fl ip, and a few twirls in the air and

they were done. The judges gave the perfect scores! The next people went, the judges gave them a 10, a 10, and a 9. “We won!” Said Sarah. With the money they bought what ever they wanted, then they bought a mansion and lived happily ever after.

THE END

Second Place Grade 6-8Hannah AtleoPort Alberni Christian School

Sarah sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all af-ternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena.

Sarah looked to her right, where her friend Benjamin was still asleep. They had fallen asleep from the skate the night before. It was not Saturday morn-ing. Sarah quickly woke up Benjamin as she remembered that Benjamin and

herself had a rugby game. Because Sat-urday is rugby day!

When Benjamin woke, Sarah told him what hap-pened. Benjamin freaked out as he looked at the time, it was 8 a.m. He and Sarah had to be at the Black Sheep Rugby Club at 9:30 for a practice before their game at 11 against James Bay.

Quickly they both went around the Mutli-Plex, trying every door, but none of them opened. They didn’t know what to do, so they sat down to think of ways to get out.

Then Sarah thought of some-thing. Maybe the Bulldogs had a

hockey practice. So they waited. After waiting a long time and no one came, they looked at the clock. It was now 9 a.m.

Benjamin and Sar-ah panicked. They had 30 minutes to get to the fi eld.

This was the last game before Christ-mas, and Benjamin was going to be scrum-half.

While Benjamin was almost crying, Sarah saw a big Christmas present and moved it to the window, where they got out.

Suddenly Ben-jamin woke up, realizing it was a dream, then got ready for rugby.

Locked in and late for the game

Skating TournamentHOLIDAY SPECIAL


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First PlaceGrade 9-12Shereen PlatthoffCHOICES Distance Learning

Sarah sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at the Winter Wonder-land, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skat-ing all afternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena. Sarah reached over and shook Ben-jamin awake. He yawned, sitting up in his bulky winter clothes.

“Benje,” she said, “where’s dad?”

Benjamin shook his head. He didn’t know. Sarah stood and skated over to the doors to see if they were locked.

They were. She glid-ed back to where Benjamin sat. Sarah was about to sit back down, when she saw something on the fl oor. Where they had been lying, the ice had melted. Now sticking out of the ice was a tiny little person. Hur-riedly, Sarah pulled out one of her glove warmers and used it to the melt the ice faster. Ben-jamin crawled over to see what she was doing.

“Wha tha?” “I think it’s a

fairy! Hurry, let’s get her out of the ice.” Together, they used their skates to chisel the fairy out. Sarah tucked the fairy into her gloves to warm her up. Soon, the fairy woke and looked up at Sarah and her brother.

“Oh, my.” She said in a tiny voice. “I came in to look at the pretty decorations and I suppose I got stuck. Thank you so much!”

“You’re wel-come,” Sarah said. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. But tell me, is there any way I can possibly repay you?”

Sarah thought for a moment. “Could you perhaps help us get home?”

“Of course,” The fairy fl uttered into the air. “For great kindness to a spirit of Christ-mas, I’ll grant your wish.”

Sarah sat up from under her Christmas tree at home. She and Benjamin had quite a story to tell their parents.

Second PlaceGrade 9-12Neina SachdevAlberni District Secondary School

Sara sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter Wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all afternoon. The lights twin-kled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena. Sudden-ly, a mist of white fl urries surrounded and blinded her. Her voice vanished before she spoke. “Ben-jamin?” She tried to call. Evil. Everything was dark like the opposite of heav-en. What is this place? Evil snowmen, Santa-haters, and of course Santa’s evil twin, Marcus. Sarah hated Christmas but she loved to skate. She wanted to join the evil side, but felt bad for once. On the other side of the Winter Wonderland was Christmas and, Santa. “Come here, Sarah! I know you are on the naughty list, but please! For Benja-min!” Santa called. Sarah could read his mind un-knowingly , but she could not answer back. All the

evil has now surrounded her and are closing in. “ I don’t know what to do!” She called in her mind, hoping Santa would hear. She tried making peace, tricking them, and fi nally fi ghting. All did not work. “Hahaha, I have you now!” Laughed Marcus. His heart was made of stone, stone-hearted. “I hated Christmas, but after seeing you, I don’t anymore.” I answered. I grabbed all the decorations off the tree and one little silver snow-fl ake shone. “Ahhhh!” The

evil and Marcus screamed, ending with a fl ash. She was at Christmas. Sarah ran to Santa and hugged him, smiling for the fi rst time. “Santa, thank you for helping me realize what happiness is. I hat-ed Christmas. My parents died on this day and left me with Benjamin.” She cried. “Christmas spirit can change lives. I wanted you to realize.” Sarah smiled. “Wake up, Sarah!” Yelled Benjamin. “Wait what?” She asked. “Benjamin lets make Christmas this year.”

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Sarah’s Winter Wonderland AdventureFirst PlaceAdultDevon Coles

Sarah sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter Wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all af-ternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena.

Benjamin’s grand-father, the arena caretaker, was kneeling on the ice

calling, “Hey, there . . . wake up! I was just about to head home.”

Sarah wrinkled her little mouse nose and slipped under a low branch, clinging on to stay hidden. She knew it was wrong to hide in Benjamin’s pocket sneaking a lift earlier today.

But she was so curious, just like any little white mouse. Benjamin loved to skate and she loved Benjamin. She just had to know why he came here so many times. And now she knew.

Little children, grown ups and grandparents glid-ing joyously over

the ice had made Sarah feel so happy. But now, she was a frightened little mouse.

If she were seen, Grandfather might not let Benjamin come here – ever again! Sarah didn’t know how to make this right. It was all her fault. She trembled.

And that caused her to tumble off the branch and land – kerplop! – on Benjamin’s bright Christmas toque. A snowy white mouse like a neon sign, and Grandfather looking right at her. And now his hand closed around Sarah and to her surprise, slipped her gently

into his own warm pocket.

Grandfather smiled, and handed Benjamin his toque. His twinkling eyes gazed deeply into Benjamin’s.

“Bring any special friends with you today?”

“No, Grandpa. We all came on our own.”

Grandfather was wise and knew this was true.

“Yes,” he laughed, pulling Sarah from his pocket. “Even this one!”

And chuckling at Benjamin’s surprise, he winked at the mouse and softly whispered, “Merry Christmas, Sarah.”

HOLIDAY SPECIAL


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Happy Holidays and All The Best In 2015!

from the Team at

Second PlaceAdultSarah Williams

Sarah sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter Wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all afternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena as Christmas tunes crooned across the vacant span of the ice.

Quickly, Sarah turned to her snor-ing friend. “Benja-min! Wake up! I think we’re locked in Winter Wonder-land for the night!”

Grunting, Benja-min turned away from Sarah and tucked himself back into a peace-ful slumber in the fl eecy faux snow.

Pausing for a moment to ponder their predicament, Sarah soon came to realize that the potential for a grand adventure was before her. Waking Benjamin in the quickest way she could think of…she rolled him onto a nearby sleigh and took him for a quick whirl around the rink!

Benjamin awoke amid a swirl of lights above him. “Sarah! What’s going on? Where’s everybody?”

“I think we slept through the end of the skating session and everyone has gone home. It’s just after 10:30 p.m. and I’m starved! Let’s go fi nd some-thing to eat from the concession upstairs,” said Sarah while cruising

to a stop at the rink entrance.

“Sounds good to me!” Benja-min exclaimed as he clambered up the stairs and crawled over the concession counter. Finding himself in what seemed like a perfect dream, Benjamin’s favourite dinner fantasy was about to become a reality! In a matter of minutes, he and Sarah had assem-bled a feast fi t for a Winter Wonderland queen and king of hot dogs, popcorn, and fries with ice cream sandwiches to top it all off!

Bellies full, Sar-ah and Benjamin curled up beneath the same tree to nap ‘for just a few minutes’ and awoke the next day to an arena fi lled with happy skaters!

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HOLIDAY SPECIAL


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Port Auto Tech 2001

All makes & models of Domestic, Imports and RV’s3218 3rd Ave, Port Alberni • (250)723-8414 Kam Binng

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Season’s Greetings

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Honourable MentionAdultGillian Shearwater

Sarah sat up with a start from under the decorated tree on the ice at Winter Wonderland, where she and Benjamin had fallen asleep after skating all afternoon. The lights twinkled warmly in the quiet of the locked arena, casting stars onto the black arch over-head. Ben held still, watching through almost-closed eyes, absorbing what his senses told.

The fi rst clue? The “ice” was not cold -- how else

could they have fallen asleep? The second clue? He had been just one year old when his mother left -- yet they were together, and he experiencing the thoughts and sensations of an adult. And this are-na -- should have been Skate City in Lake Charles. Only it wasn’t. It was smaller, sparer, the winter decorations more northern than anything Louisiana knew. Were they manipulating his time-and-space per-ceptions? Again?

Perhaps not. The Sarah fi gure stood, steadied footing on the slick “ice”, then

reached down and shook his shoul-der. “Benjamin, it’s time to go.” Time. A concept outside Their experience. The afternoon replayed in his mind: warm moments shared, laughter. Words like “before” (“be-fore you came into my life”). So: not Them. He stood, balancing careful-ly, gazed down at this woman who was a smudge in infant memory. Seeing her as she must have been . . . happy at his be-ing, sadness at the way of it, hurting because it was Time to Go.

And he let her go, both of them free now, lives spinning threads in time and space, a quantum of connectedness. As Sarah vanished behind the glit-tering trees, Ben turned toward the darkness. “Thank you, doctor.”

A slender uni-formed fi gure en-tered the holodeck. “I trust the inconsis-tencies served?”

Benjamin Sisko smiled. “Like loos-ening blanc-mange from a mould. To see the shape of memory, we must release it.”

Wonderland Ice Time

to our family, friends & neighbours

Wim & Willie Van Herk

Merry Christmas &

Happy New Year

HOLIDAY SPECIAL


Mortgage Finance& mortgage Investments

For professional service Terri St. Jacques

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Merry ChristmasWishing you a Magical

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Chapel of Memories As parents we share our wisdom As partners we share a life As friends we share our dreams

But seldom do we ever share our fi nal wishes. Most of us avoid the emotional topic of pre-planning when we should recognize it as a kind, selfl ess act that relieves grieving family of the planning bur-den, prevents arguments over details and choices, saves loved ones from emotional and fi nancial overspending and frees them to cel-ebrate your life. Dignity Memorial Chapel of Memories recognize how diffi cult it can be to discuss funeral planning before it is needed. We believe that no one should have to come through our doors to-tally unprepared and uninformed on the day they’ve lost a loved one.

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www.albernivalleynews.com A25Alberni Valley News - Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014Alberni Valley News Thursday, Dec 25, 2014 www.albernivalleynews.com A25

Christina and Jim Proteauwelcomed son

Jameson Mark Proteau into their family

Sunday, December 7th at 3:40 p.m. at West Coast General Hospital

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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

INFORMATION

FIREARMS SAFETY Courses offered and fi rearms pur-chased by Certifi ed Instructor Terry Lee (250)723-9768.

LEGALS

NOTICE is given to Tricia Georg that your white Pickup and goods held in storage from 2429 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo will be disposed of on January 25th 2015 unless the o/s storage fees are paid prior to this date. Call: 250 248 2381 Ext 240 or 241.

TRAVEL

TRAVEL

RV LOT Rentals $8.95 a day. 362 days of sunshine, pets, events, classes, entertain-ment. Reserve by 11/01/2014. Visit: www.hemetrvresort.com. Call: 1-800-926-5593

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

THE DISABILITY Tax Credit. $1,500 yearly tax cred-it.$15,000 lump sum refund (on avg). covers: Hip/knee re-placements, arthritic joints, COPD. For help applying 1-844-453-5372.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION is an in-demand career in Canada! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get the online train-ing you need from an employ-er-trusted program. Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-888-528-0809 to start training for your work-at-home career to-day!

BIRTHS BIRTHS

DRIVERS/COURIER/TRUCKING

SEEKING class 1 drivers for super b fl at deck work. Canada wide and US hauls. We offer modern equip-ment, e logs, steady year round work, and family security through extended benefi ts and a matched contribution pension apply on line at sutco.ca fax resume and abstract to 250-357-2009 or call 1-888-357-2612 ext. 230

EDUCATION/TRADE SCHOOLS

INTERIOR HEAVY EQUIP-MENT OPERATOR SCHOOL.NO Simulators. In-the-seat training. Real world tasks.Weekly start dates. Job board! Funding options.SignUp online! iheschool.com 1-866-399-3853

HELP WANTED

LOCAL RESTORATION Company requires

Experienced Help for all aspects of Reconstruction.

Wages based on experi-ence; only those with a valid driver’s license need apply.

Criminal record check will be required. Drop resume off at: 4650B Margaret St. or email

to: [email protected]

TRADES, TECHNICAL

SKILLED trades! Experienced weld-ers and completions team members needed in Grande Prairie, AB. Welders, B-Pressure Welders, Painters with Steel experience. Fly in - Fly out with 1 week at home a month. Accommodation provided. Alberta wages without the high rent! Send resume to:h r @ we s t e r n m a nu fa c t u r i n g . c a www.westernmanufacturing.ca

PERSONAL SERVICES

FINANCIAL SERVICES

HOME/BUSINESS SERVICES

CLEANING SERVICES

HOME & OFFICE Cleaning. Meticulous, prompt, courteous, conscientious, bondable. Rea-sonable rates (250)720-7703.

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

FIREARMS

FIREARMS: ALL types want-ed, estates, collections, single items, military. We handle all paperwork and transportation. Licensed dealer 1-866-960-0045. www.dollars4guns.com.

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE

ANTIQUE DINING table & chairs, sm serving cabinet, an-tique side tables. Newer living room love seat & couch w/ matching lamps, 8x12 area rug (high end), misc. house-hold decor, small entrance bench, couch & coffee tables. Call (250)723-6188.

HOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available. 1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/newspaper?

POOL TABLE; 4x8, 3 piece slate. Comes with snooker balls and accessories. Approx 20yrs old. $500 obo. Call (250)723-6054.

STEEL BUILDINGS/metal buildings 60% off! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for bal-ance owed! Call 1-800-457-2206 or visit us online at: www.crownsteelbuildings.ca.

MISC SERVICES MISC SERVICES

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

MISCELLANEOUS WANTED

SCRAP METAL; Fridges, freezers, washers, dryers, electric/wood stoves, lawn mowers & other recyclable metal, free pick up. Call Rich-ard 250-723-0855.

WANTED: WHALE Bones, Vintage Anchors, Butchers Block and Anvils. Please call (250)723-2447.

NEW TO YOU

AGATHA CHRISTIE mystery pocket book collection, hard to fi nd. As new. 50 novels. $55. Call (250)724-1059.

BLUE MOUNTAIN Pottery collection. Assorted sizes & pieces. Private collector. Great gifts. (250)724-1059.

TWIN ELECTRIC bed comes with side rail, excellent condi-tion, $400. Toilet safety rails, $25. Call 250-723-1944.

RENTALS

APARTMENT/CONDO

PIONEER TOWERS. Senior 55+. N/S. Studio $350. 1-bdrm $420. Call (250)724-2013.

DUPLEXES/4PLEXES

3-BDRM- 2 Storey, close to schools and shopping. NS/NP. W/D included. Available now $800./mo. (250)723-9752 call after 7pm. [email protected]

TRANSPORTATION

CARS

1996 OLDSMOBILE Luxury sport sedan, 4 doors, fully loaded with all the extras in-cluding GPS and backup camera. 225,000 km. Good cond., runs well. $1500 obo. Call Gerry (250)723-8793,.

2001 CHEV Impala- well main-tained, easy on gas, silver col-our, 215,000 km. Asking, $1,900. Call (250)724-0724.

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FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS

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EMPLOYERSwww.localwork.ca

Your Community,

Your Classifi eds. 1-855-310-3535www.bcclassifi ed.com

Fredrick William Potter (Fred)

Fred was born February 27, 1939 and passed away December 19, 2014.

He was predeceased by his father Fredrick and his mother Mary (Christian) Potter, stepmother Yvonne, sister-in-law Judy Potter and brother-in-law Len Miles.

He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years Gail, his children Glenn and Taryn, grandchildren Bobbi Lynn, Justin, Ryan and Bella, his sister Dorothy Miles, brothers George (Melody), Ed (Donna), niece Carly, nephew Lonny and other family and his best Buddy Ron.

Fred worked for MacMillan & Bloedel for 36 years at Somass Division. He enjoyed his retirement, travelling with Gail and participating in the Sunshine Club; floor curling, playing crib and camping. Fred loved to go for walks and to the Bulldogs games. It brought him immense joy when they visited him in the hospital. Thank you !!

Cremation has taken place. At Fred’s request there is no service. Please join our family for a tea Saturday, December 27 at 3633 North Morgan Crescent from 1:00 – 3:00 PM.

A heartfelt “Thank You” to Dr. Lund and Dr. O’Dwyer and the many nurses and staff who took exceptional care of Fred.

Stories and condolences may be forwarded to the family by visiting www.yatesfuneral.ca

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Call 250-723-6399for routes in your neighbourhood

I always taught my kids to work toward their goals, so when my grandson told me he wanted a new bike, a paper route was the answer. Now, two days a week, we walk through the neighbourhood while he delivers the Alberni Valley News. He bought the bike he wanted and is now saving for his next purchase.

Good Values. New Bike. Thanks, Grandpa


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Left, Rina Parmar of Shar-Kare presents Irene Towell the manager of the SPCA with $610. The money raised from Santa Pet photos. Taking centre stage is the store mascot Pumpkin and next is Deb Thierstein of the SPCA and store manager Zelda Van Den Broek. Above, Shar Kare saw many diff erent pets have their photo taken with Santa by Rina Parmar of Rina’s Photography, including this miniature pony belonging to Van Den Broek.

Don and Shirley Bryant celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary Friday Dec. 19 with family and friends at an open house at Legion Branch #293

The Lions Club presents a cheque for $1,000 to Susan Fox of the Hilton Centre. From left to right are Russel McLaughlin, Don Hudson, Susan and Grant Gibson.

Lions Don Hudson, left, and Grant Gibson, far right, present a cheque for $500 to the Bread of Life represented by Pamela Day and David Whitworth.

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From / A7In the couple of days

since he first decided to give it a shot, he’s set up a committee, gotten in touch with organizers of the Pride Ride, Port Alberni’s former Pride event.

The event is still in

the starting stages but Simister has settled on July 26, 2015 at Williamson Park on Johnston Road. In the coming days, he’ll be speaking to the city to see what his options are and to plan out the logistics of the

event.While nothing

concrete is in place yet, he’s positive that the people of Port Alberni will come through for him.

“There’s more love here than anything.”

For more

information on the Pride BBQ, search “Port Alberni First Pride BBQ” on Facebook or message Colin Simister. Simister has set up a fundraiser for the event at www.gofundme.com/izjjmg

with $260 donated as of press time or you can drop off your empty bottles at the bottle depot and donate the proceeds to the Port Alberni Pride [email protected]

twitter.com/AlberniNews

People get on board with youth’s Pride event efforts

Merry Christmas / from the Alberni Valley NewsSPORTSWrestlers win War on the Floor

A large group of Alberni Wrestlers competed at the annual War on the Floor wrestling tournament at Simon Fraser University on Friday and Saturday.

Friday was the novice event for wrestlers that are relatively new to the sport or have not placed provincially. A number of Alberni wrestlers demonstrated they are ready to make the jump into the elite level of high school wrestling. Emma McGowan, Morgan Dagenais, and Trevor Barker led the way with medals in their individual weight classes. McGowan in only her second year of wrestling dominated and took home a gold medal. Dagenais and Barker battled to bronze medals and looked strong throughout the tournament.

Club coach Chris Bodnar commented on the readiness

of these athletes to succeed at the elite level. “All three of these kids work extremely hard at practice and...good things happen to those who are prepared to put in the time’.’

Others doing well at the novice tournament included Daniel Spencer and Seth Price, who placed fourth in their respective weights. Trenton Vanderkooi, Ali Flaro, Jayce Clayton, and Ravi

Manhas all finished strong to place fifth in their weight classes.

Saturday saw a much higher level of competition. Many teams from Alberta and Saskatchewan made the trip to Simon Fraser University for some elite level wrestling and they we not disappointed. Head coach John McDonald commented on the level at this year’s elite tournament.

“The out-of-province teams at

this tournament make the tournament in many weight classes tougher than the provincial championships. It a great opportunity to get very high level competition in order to see what we need to work on at practice’’.

Seniors Nolan Badovinac and Michelle Kurucz did not disappoint. Badovinac, missing much of last year with a knee injury, is making the most

of his Grade 12 year. Drawing up against one of the top ranked wrestlers in the country in Tyron Gardner from the ROC Wrestling Club out of Calgary, Badovinac took control and defeated Gardner en route to a gold medal performance at 78kgs.

Kurucz also had to defeat a top wrestler from the Junior Dinos out of Calgary to secure a spot in the finals, finishing with a silver medal at 60kgs.

Price as a seventh-grader competed in the elite tournament to gain experience.

He wrestled extremely well against older competitors and proved that age and experience does not matter. Price battled his way to a silver medal at 38kgs.

Others competing in the elite tournament and doing well included, Dagenais, Manhas, McGowan and Lauren Barker. Each wrestler placed fourth in their weight

class. Isaac McDonald also travelled with the team and placed fifth in a very tough 48 Kg weight class.

Alberni Wrestling and EJ Dunn Middle School coach James Messenger reflected on the results of the elite tournament.

“This is a great opportunity to see how our best kids line up with others around the province and across the country. It

allows coaches to see what kids like Nolan Badovinac need to work on technically before he makes the transition to university wrestling,’’, Messenger said.

“Nolan Badovinac has made it clear that he will be moving on and competing at the next level.

“Universities from across the country are currently recruiting him.”

WILSON WONG/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

Nolan Badovinac of Alberni Wrestling pins an opponent during War on the Floor at Simon Fraser University on the weekend.


Question of the WeekThe price of gas has dropped significantly in recent weeks. If you plan to buy a car this year will lower prices at the pump encourage you to buy a larger vehicle?

OF THE WEEK!

?QUESTION

Go to DrivewayCanada.ca to submit your answer.

Safety Tip:January is one of the worst months for crashes in B.C. with approximately 23,200 on average. In poor conditions, slow down, increase your following distance and give

yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.

follow us…

/Driveway

@DrivewayCanada

DrivewayCanada.ca | Welcome to the driver’s seat

2014 car year in reviewIt’s hard to believe that 2014 is over. Where did it go? At a time when we tend to reflect on what we’ve done, what we can do better and what was awesome, that brings me to my personal Car Year in Review.It takes a special vehicle or experience to stick in my memory. Not to say that short-term memory loss is a problem but with constant streams of information bombarding my brain, it’s not hard to forget where I was and what I was testing a week ago!Though this is a review of wheels past, because we often test vehicles well ahead of their full production this also points to what people will be driving in 2015.Let’s start small because the micro cars might be miniscule in price, but aren’t about to disappoint.

Nissan Micra: MSRP Range, $9,998-$15,748For under $10K, this pint-sized vehicle can be yours. But just because it’s inexpensive doesn’t mean it’s cheap. And it’s a blast to drive. Sure, 109 horsepower won’t get you where you need to go in a flash, but that’s not the point of this car. Besides, for basic transportation, it has the goods.

Ford Fiesta 1.0L, $15,999 + $1,500 for the 1.0L option; for an MSRP of $17,499Ford’s smallest engine available here in Canada sure packs a lot of punch. And considering it only weighs 98 kg when assembled, this 1.0L, 3-cylinder power-plant is pretty impressive. If you opt for this bite-sized engine, you’ll be getting 123 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque (148 lb-ft with the overboost). The Fiesta was designed and engineered in Europe so it isn’t bad to look at either.

Subaru WRX STI: MSRP $37,995-$44,995The all-new 2015 Subaru WRX STI is an incredible car within its own right. It has a cult following and has the street cred to back it up. And just when you think you’re getting the hang of putting it around the Buttonwillow Raceway in California, you let Tommi

Mäkinen take you for a spin. Gosh, it’s like he could drive ten times faster, smoother and more confidently in his sleep. Heck, he had one arm on the windowsill when he wasn’t shifting or going into a tight corner. Moral of the story: the car makes you feel like a hero even if you can’t drive like Tommi. And what a cool experience.

Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat: MSRP $63,495 (but the new 2015 Challenger SXT starts at an MSRP of $28,495)

The name says it all. Put “Hell” in something and you’re bound to have a helluva good time, right? Especially when you have 707 horsepower at your disposal. But to say I wasn’t apprehensive to take this beast on the track at Portland International Raceway would be a lie. And the reason is, American muscle cars haven’t always been the pinnacle of exceptional handling dynamics. Sure, it has a lot of horses, but will it get me through the corner with minimal body roll? Or will the steering have enough feel that I won’t be constantly inputting actions?In this case? Hell(cat) yes. I was blown away as to how well this car drove, not just on the track, but on the street, too. Disclaimer: if you need to get anywhere quickly, this isn’t the car for you. People will talk your ear off about it if you give them an opportunity.

Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4MATIC: MSRP $37,200 (AMG version is $50,500) Another vehicle that shone brightly is Mer-cedes-Benz’s GLA. The luxury compact crossover starts at under $40K but does so many things well. It has a hatchback, great styling and the fuel economy is quite good, too. I wouldn’t even need the AMG version to keep me happy. It’s just a stellar vehicle.

MINI Cooper S: MSRP starts at $25,490Perhaps the biggest disappointment this year comes in the shape of the MINI Cooper S. I’ve loved these cars for so long, but perhaps electronics have ruined it for me. Yes, it’s much more competent and has some great features, but I miss the days of the super-charged version. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a super fun car to drive, but the downshift rev matching in the Cooper S with the manual transmission was not amazing. It was harsh and jerky. I also feel it lost a little bit of personality along its way to adulthood. I’ll forever love them, quirks and all.

Honda Fit: MSRP range $14,495-$21,295The Fit is on my list because I think it is just such a fabulous little car. The Magic Seats really are magic, but the new touchscreen is a huge deterrent. I strongly dislike it. I like buttons. I don’t mind if there are a few to complement the screen but I feel it takes my eyes off the road for too long, even if I’m familiar with the system.

Volvo V60 T6: MSRP $51,200-$66,895Long live the Swedish wagons. They can do very little wrong in my books. They’re just fantastic.

[email protected]

Visit the gallery at DrivewayCanada.ca

Hot Laps in the Subaru WRX STI with retired WRC Driver Tommi Mäkinen.

by Alexandra Straub

What’s Better than sunshine, lollipops & rainbows?

OUR BLOG . . . seriously. Check it out blog.blackpress4good.comShowcasing heartfelt community stories from around the province.

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THE ARTSTHE ARTS HAPPY NEW YEAR!

CJ BALDWIN/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

Christmas cheerDancers from Pat Cummings School of Dance perform We Need a Little Christmas. School members collected food for the Bread of LIfe and last week brought their food to the soup kitchen.

Drawing classes, winter closure on tap

Local artist Cynthia Bonesky is back with an adult drawing class in the new year, teaching the basics of learning how to draw using various techniques. People signing up for this class will learn contour drawing, shading, and negative drawing and much more. These classes will run every Tuesday evening starting Feb.3 and running until March 24, from 7 – 9 p.m. each night. The cost is only $145 for eight classes; a supply list will be available when you sign up. Classes will be held at Echo Centre.

Please register at Echo Centre, as space is limited, at 250-723-2181.

Rollin closes for break

The Rollin Art Centre and Art Gallery will be closed from Dec. 23 until Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015 for its annual winter break.

See you all in the New Year!

Gallery extends current show

Once the Rollin Art Centre reopens following its brief winter break, patrons will still be able to view the current art exhibit, Present Images, which has been held over until Feb. 7.

This display of 14 Alberni Valley-painters will be extended into the New Year. So if you didn’t get an opportunity to stop by the gallery, you’re in luck. Stop by once we reopen for a chance to own one of these terrific pieces of art.

Time to renew memberships

This is a reminder to all current Community Arts Council members, and everyone else who would like to help support the Community Arts Council, that all memberships will now be renewed in Jan. 2015.

This annual membership date will be for everyone. If you have not yet renewed your membership for the 2015, pop by the Rollin Art Centre today. The cost is only $17 for adults, $12 for seniors and $22 for a family.

As we are a non-profit organization we rely on the generous support of art patrons like you. So please, help support the Community Arts Council today so we can help support local artists tomorrow.

Book drive starts Jan. 6

The Rollin Art Centre will be accepting gently used books, DVDs, CDs, and puzzles for their annual book sale, which will take place May 8–9, 2015. Donations may be dropped off starting Jan. 6, after we reopen following our holiday break.

Please, no National Geographic magazines, encyclopedias, Reader’s Digest or textbooks. Drop off donations (starting Jan. 6) inside, under the staircase in the wooden box.

This is one of the Community Arts Council’s biggest fundraisers. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Rollin is located at 3061 Eighth Avenue or call 250-724-3412 for more info.

IHS deserves our thanks

The Community Arts Council would like to thank the Industrial Heritage Society for their wonderful support to us during the McLean’s Mill Christmas Market.

Having the addition of the train throughout the weekend, at a reduced price for passengers, added a special element to the festivities.

What’s on at Char’s Landing

Char’s Landing is closed from Dec. 22–26. Happy Holidays!

Melissa Martin is

administrator for the Community Arts Council.

MELISSA MARTIN

Arts Around


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alberni valley news, december 25, 2014

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