Showcase Osoyoos a fun and festive experience for hundreds of Visitors

Showcase Osoyoos just keeps getting bigger and better. This year marked the seventh annual edition of the aptly named winter exhibition of businesses and services in Osoyoos - and the number of display booths and people attending was the highest ever. On top of that, in addition to about 50 valuable raffle prizes, the festivities at Showcase 2009 included a series of huge brightly coloured helium-balloon arches stretching over the whole room, and a big 'Osoyoos' spelled out in balloons on-stage - all thanks to the handiwork of a new local "mobile balloon business" called Floating Creations.

A total of 506 people came to the Jan. 25 exposition at the Sonora Community Centre, to check out the 45 companies and groups displaying their goods and services. A number of the exhibits were by new companies in town. Attendees at Showcase Osoyoos this year included some local residents and quite a few visiting 'snowbirds' from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Jo Knight, the Destination Osoyoos Director of Tourism & Visitor Services, says she noted that some of this year's attendees were people from the Prairies who have visited Osoyoos for a few years as snowbirds, but who have now moved here permanently.

Recognizing the high number of snowbirds who attend Showcase Osoyoos, local realtors were among the exhibitors. Carol Youngberg, who staffed the booth for her Coldwell Banker Desert Aire Realty firm, says it's a good place to connect with snowbirds and let them know that she offers services including local orientation tours, homes sales, and even condo rentals in some major buildings.

Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells brought greetings to displayers and attendees at this year's Showcase, and Destination Osoyoos Board Vice-Chair Derek Noske emceed the event and handled the raffle draws and announcements.

Osoyoos Secondary School student and local Royalty Princess Chelsea Cameron-Horner also came out to greet the Showcase crowd, as part of her ambassadorial function for the community.

Participating companies and organizations at this year's Showcase Osoyoos included: Sunshine Valley Chiropractic, Pocket Desert Photography, Holistic Desert Connections, First Choice Health Foods, Smudge Body, Lakeside Travel, Floating Creations, Expert Hearing Solutions, Osoyoos Arts Council, Osoyoos Museum Society, Walnut Beach Resort, Campo Marina Restaurant, Destiny Beach Resort, Lee-sure Lite Products, Curves, Re/Max Realty, Pioneer Walkway/Citizens on Patrol, Desert Tech Computers/Kickstart Printing, Valley Congregational Church, Coldwell Banker Desert Aire Realty, Lordco Auto Parts, McKinney Nordic Ski Club, Osoyoos Sailing Club, Rose Arbor B&B, Best Western Sunrise Inn, NK'MIP Cellars/Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa/Sonora Desert Spa, Great Horned Owl Eco-Tours, Westminster Equipment Rentals, Spirit of B.C., Breathe Studio, Wine Kitz, South Okanagan Concert Society, Off-Centre Magazine, Kettle Candy Company, Kismet Cafe, Spirits Free, Kiwanis Club, Osoyoos Seniors' Centre, Miller Springs, MJO Tours/MJO Communications, Destination Osoyoos, and PADDLEOUT/St. John Ambulance / Superhost.

'Spirit of B.C.' Week offers community activities Feb 6-14

One of the groups displaying at this year's Showcase Osoyoos was the region's Spirit of BC Committee, promoting the upcoming Spirit of BC Week and the one-year countdown to the 2010 Olympics to be held in Vancouver and Whistler.

Jim Harrington, chair of the Oliver-Osoyoos Spirit of BC Committee, staffed the booth and told Showcase attendees all about fifth annual Spirit of BC Week 2009, which will be held Feb. 6-14. "It's a week of events and activities showcasing our pride in our province and profiling local programs and services that strengthen sport and recreation, healthy living, arts and culture, literacy and volunteerism." Harrington added that the activities are organized by the 95 local Spirit of BC committees representing more than 200 communities across the province. Funding comes from B.C.'s "2010 Legacies Now" program, which aims to create lasting community legacies leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympics and beyond.

Spirit of BC Week this year will include a province-wide Family Skate & Swim Day, flag-raising ceremonies, arts performances, and winter festivals. Osoyoos events this year include: Open House at the Osoyoos Regional Library (Feb. 6), Ladies Curling Bonspiel (Feb. 6-8), Public Skating in Sun Bowl Arena (Feb. 7, 8, 14), Senior & Tot Skating (Feb. 11, 13), "We Love Our Snowbirds" at the Osoyoos Museum (Feb. 14), and a number of activities at the Sonora Community Centre at various times from Feb. 9-14 including Open Fitness Room, Badminton, Volleyball, Aerobics, Basketball, Floor Hockey, Indoor Lawn Bowling, and Youth Gym Drop-In.

Harrington said a highlight of Spirit of BC Week will be the fourth annual Community Challenge between Osoyoos and Oliver, on Feb. 7, when six four-person teams from each town will compete in four events - two in the morning in Oliver (Snowshoe Softball, Bocce) and two in the afternoon in Osoyoos (Bowling at Kobau Lanes, Golf at Sonora Dunes). Everyone is encouraged to either join a team or come out to cheer on their community.

Harrington adds that it is now less than a year until the Olympic Torch passes through Osoyoos on its way to the Olympics at the West Coast. It will arrive in Osoyoos on Jan. 24, 2009. There will be both an evening ceremony and, on Jan. 25 a morning ceremony before the torch leaves town headed for Oliver, Okanagan Falls, Kaleden, Penticton, Summerland, Peachland, Westbank and Kelowna. 

Osoyoos man Curls for Cash

It was the thrill of a lifetime last month for Osoyoos resident Ron Trottier, 64, when he won a trip to the BCO Classic Canadian Open men's curling championship in Winnipeg.

It wasn't to curl with the finalist rinks of Kevin Martin and Glenn Howard - it was to fire a curling rock down the ice during a break in the Jan. 25 Martin/Howard match in an attempt to win the Capital One Million-Dollar Button Contest. Trottier was one of the winners of an online contest for the chance to try his curling luck - and he won the qualifying shoot-out among contest finalists on the evening before the final single shot for $1-million.

So, on Jan. 25, under the glare of national TV cameras, he tried his luck. If the rock stopped fully on the button, he would win $1 million; $100,000 for partly covering the button; $25,000 for touching the four-foot circle; $10,000 for touching the eight-foot circle; $5,000 for touching the 12-foot circle; and $1,000 if he missed the circles. Trottier's rock slid 35 inches past the button but came to rest still biting part of the eight-foot circle, so he took home $10,000.

Osoyoos Royalty program boosts Students and Community

Osoyoos Secondary School students Tiffany Schnider and Chelsea Cameron-Horner have been busy young women for the past seven months. As Osoyoos Royalty Queen and Princess , they have gone throughout their community and across parts of British Columbia serving as ambassadors for Osoyoos since being selected for their positions at a gala event last June 30.

Anne Murseli , co-organizer of the Osoyoos Royalty Program, says the concept provides a great boost both for the community and for the girls involved. "It's a tremendous self-improvement program for the girls," Murseli says. Grade 10-11 students who are interested go through a five-month series of workshops including public speaking through Toastmasters, sessions with an image consultant, modelling, and hair and makeup lessons. They also present speeches as part of the selection process, and a Queen and one or more Princesses are chosen at the June 30 event.

Cameron-Horner says the experience for the Queen and Princess is wonderful. "We are ambassadors for Osoyoos and also go around to support a number of events in our community," she says. And they see a bit of the province. "We travel and attend other pageants in B.C. and speak about our town. I think we've been in about seven parades. And we write articles for the newspaper. I'm really liking it - it's a fantastic experience."

New Business Profile: Floating Creations

People in Osoyoos who want to celebrate something now have a brighter, more colourful way to do it! Since November, Ron and Karen Bordeleau have been operating their new business in town - Floating Creations - a "mobile balloon business" that caters to any event where people want to celebrate and have fun.

The couple has 17 years' experience in the balloon business. They recently moved to Osoyoos from Kingston, Ont. and Vancouver, and felt there was a niche to fill in the region. Ron specializes in making balloon structures, the couple does face-painting, and they can also conjure up a real live clown, "Pickles," who will entertain. "It's going very well. All we're getting is positive reactions," Ron says.

"We do any and all kinds of events and celebrations, and we've already gone to ones in Summerland and Penticton." They serve the whole Okanagan Valley and they will cater to all occasions, such as weddings, anniversaries, pool parties, festivals, trade shows, corporate events, sport banquets, baby showers, bridal showers, graduations, and grand openings. Floating Creations offers both air- and helium-filled balloons, balloon gazebos, balloon-bouquet deliveries, drop balloons, and "pop-it" balloons - which are stuffed with toys, prizes, or whatever the customer wants in them.

The Bordeleaus' talents were on display for all to see during the Showcase Osoyoos exhibition, held at the Sonora Community Centre on Jan. 25. They created huge multi-coloured balloon arches that stretched over the Centre's entire gymnasium, and a big "Osoyoos" word on-stage made out of balloons. Their new business is a labour of love: "It brings a lot of cheer to people," Ron says. They ask for 24 hours' notice for events, and major events require a couple of weeks' notice. Floating Creations has a website at www.floatingcreations.ca and can be called at 250-495-0778.

DO Board Member Profile: Chris Jensen

Chris Jensen gives Destination Osoyoos the broad perspective of someone who has lived nearly his whole life in Osoyoos, and who has spent decades here as a successful business person.

Suggestions invited for new Osoyoos Recreational Trails

In 2008 Destination Osoyoos co-ordinated the construction of a major extension to recreational trails in Osoyoos. Now, in 2009, it is continuing to look at ways to increase and improve trails in the area.

Destination Osoyoos recently launched a series of local advertisements asking for input from community organizations, outdoor recreation clubs, local government, and the general public on their ideas for trails to be developed as part of the South Okanagan Interpretive Trail Network over the next four years.

Destination Osoyoos Chief Executive Officer Glenn Mandziuk says, "Much of the costs associated with developing the trails have been secured and interested organizations or individuals are invited to submit a proposed plan for trail development in Osoyoos."

Mandziuk says proposals should include two things:

• a description of the environmental, historical or cultural significance of the trail.
  
• a detailed map showing the location of the proposed trail and points of interest.

Interested people or groups should mail or fax their proposal to: Destination Osoyoos, P.O. Box 500, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0. Fax: 250-495-8081. For further information call 250-495-3366.

Tourism Trends

 The federal government awarded $95,000 to the B.C. Council of Tourism Associations on Jan. 24 so COTA can develop a plan to ensure that tourism land-use plans in the Southern Interior mesh with plans to harvest the forest areas devastated by the mountain pine beetle, so the tourism product is protected. COTA will work with First Nations, the tourism and forestry sectors, and governments to ensure that tourism opportunities are maximized in response to the mountain pine beetle. The plan will recommend ways to make the most of tourism opportunities, particularly the adventure tourism and aboriginal tourism sectors, in areas seeking economic diversification because of challenges in the forest sector.  

 Also on Jan. 24, the federal government announced funding of more than $925,000 for the City of Merritt to renovate its Canadian Country Music Hall of Honour and outdoor stage area, as well as to create a Legacy Square green space, build western-themed streetscapes, and showcase a series of 10 historical and country music performer murals in downtown Merritt. The murals will also provide training opportunities and employment for 10 First Nations youth-at-risk during the summer. Merritt Mayor Susan Roline said the downtown beautification will make the community more welcoming to visitors - and "with the development of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, we will put the exclamation point on our title of Country Music Capital of Canada."

 The 5th Annual BC Sport Tourism Events Marketplace will be held at the Richmond Olympic Oval on April 1, offering a unique chance for anyone in the business of community sport tourism development to attend and discuss upcoming sport hosting opportunities with representatives from provincial sport organizations. The conference and trade-show format with up to 15 pre-scheduled appointments offers a valuable day of developing ideas and making productive contacts. Sport tourism generates $2.4 billion a year in Canada and is the fastest-growing tourism sector. There is a web-based matchmaking system for scheduling appointments. Registration is open at www.bcsporttourismmarketplace.com. For information contact Christina Cafouros, Tourism BC, at 604-660-6391 or email: christina.cafouros@tourismbc.com.

 The Canadian Tourism Commission has launched Phase 2 in its campaign in the United Kingdom and Germany to convince Europeans to book vacations to Canada. Last fall, in Phase 1, the CTC tried to lure Europeans with inspiring posters featuring iconic images of Canada. Phase 2, launched in January, aims to convert Europeans' consideration about where to vacation into concrete actions. New posters of iconic Canadian adventures put the viewer in the centre of the action, and include tour-operator pricing subtly integrated into the ad along with a link to the operator's website. The message plays to both emotion and reason: "feel" the experience, then make it happen by booking a trip.

Events around Osoyoos

• Feb. 8, Holistic Medicine Presentation, at the Osoyoos Seniors' Centre from 1-4 p.m. Presented by Ian Langile, international health educator, and Elizabeth Halvax, local holistic practitioner.  Goodies, refreshments and prizes. For information or to register, call Elizabeth at 250-495-4017.
  
• Feb. 14, Osoyoos Seniors' Centre Valentine Dance. Advance tickets at the Centre for $10 each.
• Feb. 28, One Tribe Music and Dance Festival, at the Osoyoos Legion Hall at 6:30 p.m. Belly dancers, Brazilian dancers, and African dancers will be featured, along with live music from the Barefoot Profits, a Middle-Eastern orchestra, and Harambee, an African drum group. Tickets $15 at Wine Kitz, Imperial Office Pro, and Breathe Studio. For information call 250-485-3459 or email: azureevents@live.com.