March 03, 2015 - News Leader
ARTS COUNCIL OKAYS RUNNER EVENT
Why would Princeton’s Community Arts Council be entertaining long distance runners? A request came from the organizer of the Fat Dog Run to have downtown entertainment on the evening of August 13. The Fat Dog Run this year has expanded to 200 runners who will start the run in Osoyoos and travel through the mountain parks all the way to Manning Park. In addition to the athletes, there will be people involved as support teams and family members. They will come to Princeton on August 13 to stay in local accommodations. Rick Freeman, a musician and Arts Council member, said the group who get together during the summer at the gazebo could arrange musical entertainment for the visiting runners. August 13 is the day before the Traditional Music Festival begins, so free musical entertainment will span four days this year. On Sunday, March 29, Kelowna Ballet returns to Riverside Centre. This is a one-day-only performance. Displays of local artists are being held in Riverside Centre lounge area. The works of two artists are displayed for two months, then two new artists have their works hung. There is no charge to visit the display, which is open daily. The art gallery on Vermilion Avenue will be open in mid-March. Hand-made craft items such as pottery, jewelry, and wood or metal art objects can be displayed for sale as well as paintings. The Meadowlark Festival will be held on the long weekend in May. This year the Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists will host a hummingbird banding workshop led by an expert from Victoria. The customary hikes are on the agenda, but there will be no film presentation. A Spirit Festival is planned for the weekend of June 19, 20 and 21. June 21 is Aboriginal Day. This year, the celebration of First Nations culture will include a hoop dancer, drumming, jazz, dancing and storytelling. Taneesha Begaye will be there again this year. Events will be held at Veterans Square and are free to the public. Music at Veterans Square will take place again this summer. Princeton Community Band has requested two weekends in July. The regular group of musicians who play at the gazebo would like to see other activities going on in the square in addition to the music. Crimson Tine Players will present two plays on April 30, May 1 & 2 (includes matinee). Love Letters and A Servant of Two Masters feature regular actors and some new young actors from Princeton Secondary School. They are planning a float in the annual Rotary parade, and an improv workshop. Chelsea Turner, who has acted in productions in Princeton on many occasions, has the lead role in the University of BC performance of Pride and Prejudice. The Arts Council has once again qualified for an administrative grant of $14,000. The Valentine’s Day Gala held at Riverside Centre was a huge success and made a good profit. The Leisure Guide is due to come out in April. Anyone wishing to advertise an upcoming event during the summer should contact Nadine McEwen at [email protected] or phone her during the day at 250-295-6067. To insert meeting dates or event dates into the online community calendar, e-mail Nadine. To receive a reminder of upcoming events, e-mail Nadine and request the reminder via e-mail.
Why would Princeton’s Community Arts Council be entertaining long distance runners? A request came from the organizer of the Fat Dog Run to have downtown entertainment on the evening of August 13. The Fat Dog Run this year has expanded to 200 runners who will start the run in Osoyoos and travel through the mountain parks all the way to Manning Park. In addition to the athletes, there will be people involved as support teams and family members. They will come to Princeton on August 13 to stay in local accommodations. Rick Freeman, a musician and Arts Council member, said the group who get together during the summer at the gazebo could arrange musical entertainment for the visiting runners. August 13 is the day before the Traditional Music Festival begins, so free musical entertainment will span four days this year. On Sunday, March 29, Kelowna Ballet returns to Riverside Centre. This is a one-day-only performance. Displays of local artists are being held in Riverside Centre lounge area. The works of two artists are displayed for two months, then two new artists have their works hung. There is no charge to visit the display, which is open daily. The art gallery on Vermilion Avenue will be open in mid-March. Hand-made craft items such as pottery, jewelry, and wood or metal art objects can be displayed for sale as well as paintings. The Meadowlark Festival will be held on the long weekend in May. This year the Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists will host a hummingbird banding workshop led by an expert from Victoria. The customary hikes are on the agenda, but there will be no film presentation. A Spirit Festival is planned for the weekend of June 19, 20 and 21. June 21 is Aboriginal Day. This year, the celebration of First Nations culture will include a hoop dancer, drumming, jazz, dancing and storytelling. Taneesha Begaye will be there again this year. Events will be held at Veterans Square and are free to the public. Music at Veterans Square will take place again this summer. Princeton Community Band has requested two weekends in July. The regular group of musicians who play at the gazebo would like to see other activities going on in the square in addition to the music. Crimson Tine Players will present two plays on April 30, May 1 & 2 (includes matinee). Love Letters and A Servant of Two Masters feature regular actors and some new young actors from Princeton Secondary School. They are planning a float in the annual Rotary parade, and an improv workshop. Chelsea Turner, who has acted in productions in Princeton on many occasions, has the lead role in the University of BC performance of Pride and Prejudice. The Arts Council has once again qualified for an administrative grant of $14,000. The Valentine’s Day Gala held at Riverside Centre was a huge success and made a good profit. The Leisure Guide is due to come out in April. Anyone wishing to advertise an upcoming event during the summer should contact Nadine McEwen at [email protected] or phone her during the day at 250-295-6067. To insert meeting dates or event dates into the online community calendar, e-mail Nadine. To receive a reminder of upcoming events, e-mail Nadine and request the reminder via e-mail.
March 10, 2015 - News Leader
COUNCIL PUSHES FOR CO SERVICE
A recommendation made at the March 2nd regular meeting of Town Council will see the Town of Princeton put forward a motion at the 2015 Southern Interior Local Government Convention. The motion is titled, “BC Conservation Service Capacity for the Town of Princeton: and states: WHEREAS the Provincial Government is responsible for managing wildlife through its Conservation Service, and the British Columbia Conservation Service has not been able to adequately address wildlife-human conflict in the Town of Princeton due to lack of facility; AND WHEREAS the Town of Princeton is unable to appropriately respond to wildlife-human conflict, as their role is to educate residences on how to deter wildlife and limit wildlife attractants; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Provincial Government be requested to provide adequate funding and staffing in order for the BC Conservation Service to hold an office, staff an office, to be more active and proactive in effectively managing wildlife-human conflicts in the Town of Princeton.
SECOND ANNUAL DINNER FILLS LEGION HALL
Princeton Legion Branch 56 hosted their second annual First Responders Appreciation Dinner March 6th. A total of eleven groups were honoured with a dinner prepared by a group of volunteers coordinated by the Legion Ladies Auxiliary. The Legion Hall was filled with officials and crew members representing British Columbia Ambulance Service, East Gate Fire Protection Society, Erris Volunteer Fire Association, Hayes Creek Fire Rescue, Hedley Volunteer Fire Department, Princeton Emergency Preparedness (PEP), Princeton Extrication Society, Princeton Ground Search and Rescue, Princeton Volunteer Fire Brigade, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Tulameen and District Fire Department. Princeton Legion President, and member of the Hayes Creek Fire Department, Cliff Glover told the crowd, “We all have one thing in common - the willingness to help our fellow man, neighbours and complete strangers. Thank you for your commitment to our community.” Area H Director Bob Coyne gave the room a huge compliment when he stated his election to the RDOS Board was filled with a steep learning curve, countless meetings, phone calls, travel and a lot of extra responsibilities, “is nothing compared to what you guys do.” Town of Princeton Mayor Frank Armitage explained that area residents have been “the benefactors as you risk yourselves” and that while emergency response teams practice good risk management they are also made up of volunteers who “give back to your community.”
A recommendation made at the March 2nd regular meeting of Town Council will see the Town of Princeton put forward a motion at the 2015 Southern Interior Local Government Convention. The motion is titled, “BC Conservation Service Capacity for the Town of Princeton: and states: WHEREAS the Provincial Government is responsible for managing wildlife through its Conservation Service, and the British Columbia Conservation Service has not been able to adequately address wildlife-human conflict in the Town of Princeton due to lack of facility; AND WHEREAS the Town of Princeton is unable to appropriately respond to wildlife-human conflict, as their role is to educate residences on how to deter wildlife and limit wildlife attractants; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Provincial Government be requested to provide adequate funding and staffing in order for the BC Conservation Service to hold an office, staff an office, to be more active and proactive in effectively managing wildlife-human conflicts in the Town of Princeton.
SECOND ANNUAL DINNER FILLS LEGION HALL
Princeton Legion Branch 56 hosted their second annual First Responders Appreciation Dinner March 6th. A total of eleven groups were honoured with a dinner prepared by a group of volunteers coordinated by the Legion Ladies Auxiliary. The Legion Hall was filled with officials and crew members representing British Columbia Ambulance Service, East Gate Fire Protection Society, Erris Volunteer Fire Association, Hayes Creek Fire Rescue, Hedley Volunteer Fire Department, Princeton Emergency Preparedness (PEP), Princeton Extrication Society, Princeton Ground Search and Rescue, Princeton Volunteer Fire Brigade, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Tulameen and District Fire Department. Princeton Legion President, and member of the Hayes Creek Fire Department, Cliff Glover told the crowd, “We all have one thing in common - the willingness to help our fellow man, neighbours and complete strangers. Thank you for your commitment to our community.” Area H Director Bob Coyne gave the room a huge compliment when he stated his election to the RDOS Board was filled with a steep learning curve, countless meetings, phone calls, travel and a lot of extra responsibilities, “is nothing compared to what you guys do.” Town of Princeton Mayor Frank Armitage explained that area residents have been “the benefactors as you risk yourselves” and that while emergency response teams practice good risk management they are also made up of volunteers who “give back to your community.”
March 17, 2015 - News Leader
SCHOOL DISTRICT APPOINTS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT
The Board of Education of School District No. 58 (Nicola-Similkameen) announced in a news release March 10th that Christine Perkins has been appointed as the Assistant Superintendent of Schools for the District effective August 1st, 2015. Perkins succeeds Stephen McNiven who has taken on the role of Superintendent of Schools for School District No 58 (Nicola-Similkameen). Perkins is from Squamish, British Columbia where she is the Principal of Howe Sound Secondary School. She has a Doctor of Educational Leadership & Policy and extensive leadership experience as a public school educator and Administrative Officer. Perkins comes to the district with a wide range of experiences including work in the areas of secondary education, Aboriginal Education, curriculum and instruction, social justice and technology. These experiences, combined with her belief that respectful communication, a sense of humour, celebration and nurturing relationships are key to building a successful climate and culture in which to learn and grow make her a great fit for School District No. 58. “The Board is pleased to welcome Perkins as the Assistant Superintendent of Schools and is looking forward to having her join a strong administrative team lead by Stephen McNiven, Superintendent of Schools.”
RDOS RECEIVES FUNDS FOR WATERSHED PLAN
The Regional District has received a $36,135 contribution from the federal and provincial governments for Phase 3 of The Similkameen Valley Watershed Plan (SVWP). The announcement was made March 9th by the RDOS. A comprehensive review of the Similkameen Valley watershed received support to take a closer look at the agricultural sector, thanks to funding provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, and delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. “The funding will allow us to expand our information gathering with a detailed assessment of groundwater inventory, its use and future agricultural demand,” said Keremeos Mayor /Director Manfred Bauer, Chair of the Similkameen Valley Planning Society.
Phase 3 work includes:
- Characterizing the future of agriculture in the Similkameen watershed;
- Inventorying groundwater use by agriculture;
- Estimating future agricultural water demands:
- Conducting an irrigation groundwater quality assessment; and,
- Developing an implementation strategy for agricultural groundwater management.
The work is scheduled to be completed by March 2016. The SVWP team is evaluating water availability and risk of inadequate supply; taking a closer look at groundwater and surface water interaction; and reviewing the status of existing water quality data and looking for insightful trends. The plan emphasizes an integrative, holistic approach that links water quality, water quantity, wetlands, riparian habitat and biodiversity with the valley’s economic and social priorities. The goal is to significantly improve water management of the Similkameen watershed, foster collaborative water management and make water conservation a permanent ethic. The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen is working hard to build and develop economically and environmentally sustainable communities.
The Board of Education of School District No. 58 (Nicola-Similkameen) announced in a news release March 10th that Christine Perkins has been appointed as the Assistant Superintendent of Schools for the District effective August 1st, 2015. Perkins succeeds Stephen McNiven who has taken on the role of Superintendent of Schools for School District No 58 (Nicola-Similkameen). Perkins is from Squamish, British Columbia where she is the Principal of Howe Sound Secondary School. She has a Doctor of Educational Leadership & Policy and extensive leadership experience as a public school educator and Administrative Officer. Perkins comes to the district with a wide range of experiences including work in the areas of secondary education, Aboriginal Education, curriculum and instruction, social justice and technology. These experiences, combined with her belief that respectful communication, a sense of humour, celebration and nurturing relationships are key to building a successful climate and culture in which to learn and grow make her a great fit for School District No. 58. “The Board is pleased to welcome Perkins as the Assistant Superintendent of Schools and is looking forward to having her join a strong administrative team lead by Stephen McNiven, Superintendent of Schools.”
RDOS RECEIVES FUNDS FOR WATERSHED PLAN
The Regional District has received a $36,135 contribution from the federal and provincial governments for Phase 3 of The Similkameen Valley Watershed Plan (SVWP). The announcement was made March 9th by the RDOS. A comprehensive review of the Similkameen Valley watershed received support to take a closer look at the agricultural sector, thanks to funding provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, and delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. “The funding will allow us to expand our information gathering with a detailed assessment of groundwater inventory, its use and future agricultural demand,” said Keremeos Mayor /Director Manfred Bauer, Chair of the Similkameen Valley Planning Society.
Phase 3 work includes:
- Characterizing the future of agriculture in the Similkameen watershed;
- Inventorying groundwater use by agriculture;
- Estimating future agricultural water demands:
- Conducting an irrigation groundwater quality assessment; and,
- Developing an implementation strategy for agricultural groundwater management.
The work is scheduled to be completed by March 2016. The SVWP team is evaluating water availability and risk of inadequate supply; taking a closer look at groundwater and surface water interaction; and reviewing the status of existing water quality data and looking for insightful trends. The plan emphasizes an integrative, holistic approach that links water quality, water quantity, wetlands, riparian habitat and biodiversity with the valley’s economic and social priorities. The goal is to significantly improve water management of the Similkameen watershed, foster collaborative water management and make water conservation a permanent ethic. The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen is working hard to build and develop economically and environmentally sustainable communities.
March 24, 2015 - News Leader
RDOS HAPPY WITH FUNDING FROM OBWB
Two Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen water conservation projects have received financial support from the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB). The OBWB has confirmed that this year $28,840 in grant funding will be made available to the Regional District to support Phase 2 of the Regional Water Use Regulation and Conservation Bylaw and Phase 1 of the Regional Drought and Flood Risk Management and Mitigation Plan. “We’re very pleased to see the OBWB’s support for two of our water conservation projects,” said RDOS Engineering Technologist Candace Wagner. “The Regional District is committed to building and sustaining environmentally responsible communities, a vision it shares with the Water Board.” The Regional Water Use Regulation and Conservation Bylaw is intended to unify water use standards within the Regional District through water conservation efficiency and sustainable water management, integration of drought management recommendations, inclusion of Cross Connection Control (CCC) requirements and consistent interpretation of the regulations. Phase 1 of the Regional Water Use Regulation and Conservation Bylaw is currently underway thanks to the 2014/2015 Water Conservation and Quality Improvement Grant from the Okanagan Basin Water Board. Phase 2 will complete the work to develop and bring into implementation the final bylaw. The Regional Drought and Flood Risk Management and Mitigation Plan will enhance the Regional District’s ability to protect against water shortages and flooding events. With proper planning the RDOS can enjoy the benefits of the weather each year and not be unprepared in overly dry or wet years. Phase 1 of the Regional Drought and Flood Risk Management and Mitigation Plan will consist of data gathering and consultation to assess the existing water sources and users, past droughts and floods and their impacts, factors that could reduce or intensify the local effects, and existing or required drought and flood protections. The Water Conservation and Quality Improvement grant program is administered annually by the OBWB to support innovative, tangible, on the ground, water quality and conservation improvement initiatives within the Okanagan Water Basin.
TOWN COUNCIL NEWS
Town Council will host a forum on the deer problem in Princeton on Tuesday, March 31 at Riverside Centre. Guest speakers will be Frank Ritcey and Zoe Kirk of WildsafeBC. Details are on the Town of Princeton website. Local residents are invited to attend and consult the experts. Trail Society hears Councillor Doug Pateman chaired the annual general meeting of Vermilion Trails Society. He advised Society members Council will not consent to having motorized vehicles on the trail within Town boundaries. People living in town do not wish to have any motorized vehicles on the trail. Councillor Pateman told them alternative bypass routes are a possibility for consideration.
Two Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen water conservation projects have received financial support from the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB). The OBWB has confirmed that this year $28,840 in grant funding will be made available to the Regional District to support Phase 2 of the Regional Water Use Regulation and Conservation Bylaw and Phase 1 of the Regional Drought and Flood Risk Management and Mitigation Plan. “We’re very pleased to see the OBWB’s support for two of our water conservation projects,” said RDOS Engineering Technologist Candace Wagner. “The Regional District is committed to building and sustaining environmentally responsible communities, a vision it shares with the Water Board.” The Regional Water Use Regulation and Conservation Bylaw is intended to unify water use standards within the Regional District through water conservation efficiency and sustainable water management, integration of drought management recommendations, inclusion of Cross Connection Control (CCC) requirements and consistent interpretation of the regulations. Phase 1 of the Regional Water Use Regulation and Conservation Bylaw is currently underway thanks to the 2014/2015 Water Conservation and Quality Improvement Grant from the Okanagan Basin Water Board. Phase 2 will complete the work to develop and bring into implementation the final bylaw. The Regional Drought and Flood Risk Management and Mitigation Plan will enhance the Regional District’s ability to protect against water shortages and flooding events. With proper planning the RDOS can enjoy the benefits of the weather each year and not be unprepared in overly dry or wet years. Phase 1 of the Regional Drought and Flood Risk Management and Mitigation Plan will consist of data gathering and consultation to assess the existing water sources and users, past droughts and floods and their impacts, factors that could reduce or intensify the local effects, and existing or required drought and flood protections. The Water Conservation and Quality Improvement grant program is administered annually by the OBWB to support innovative, tangible, on the ground, water quality and conservation improvement initiatives within the Okanagan Water Basin.
TOWN COUNCIL NEWS
Town Council will host a forum on the deer problem in Princeton on Tuesday, March 31 at Riverside Centre. Guest speakers will be Frank Ritcey and Zoe Kirk of WildsafeBC. Details are on the Town of Princeton website. Local residents are invited to attend and consult the experts. Trail Society hears Councillor Doug Pateman chaired the annual general meeting of Vermilion Trails Society. He advised Society members Council will not consent to having motorized vehicles on the trail within Town boundaries. People living in town do not wish to have any motorized vehicles on the trail. Councillor Pateman told them alternative bypass routes are a possibility for consideration.
March 31, 2015 - News Leader
LOOKING BACK TO CAWSTON MURDER
Thirty years ago, everyone in the Similkameen Valley was talking about the headless corpse found in an orchard on Ferko Road in Cawston. The corpse was identified as Florence Ottilie Deflers of Toulan, a small town near Paris, France. The head had been removed from her body by a very strong blow that cut one of her dangling earrings in half. Florence Deflers had been reported as missing in July, 1984. She had left her boyfriend’s residence in the Cariboo in late June to travel to Cawston to meet with friends. She bought some food at the health food store in Keremeos, then walked to Cawston to her friends’ house. They were not at home. Somehow, she arrived at the Nicholson home on Ferko Road. The Nicholsons were gone for the summer. The house was empty. Her boyfriend contacted the friends, then tried to contact her. The 26 year old French citizen was a student at a university in California. When she did not arrive at the university, and nobody had heard from her, her parents and her boyfriend became seriously worried. In November, her photograph appeared in a local newspaper asking for any information as to her whereabouts. Nobody came forward. Deflers father was an important member of the Paris media community, and he put pressure on Canada’s diplomats to find his daughter. The diplomats managed to put pressure on the RCMP, but there were no real leads. Deflers boyfriend heard of a psychic who had assisted police during the Clifford Olson murder investigations. The boyfriend contacted the psychic, taking personal belongings of Deflers to the psychic. The psychic said Deflers was located in an orchard in the Cawston area. The search for Deflers began and ended at the Nicholson property, where evidence had been found indicating Deflers had been there. When the Nicholsons had returned home in the autumn of 1984, they found a few women’s items that did not belong to them. They knew somebody had been in their home, but they did not know who it might have been. Then they found a paper bag containing food from the health food store, and they found Deflers wallet in the bag. They reported it to police.
Police swarmed the Nicholson property and found the shallow grave under a loose piece of plywood. The head was never found. A person who had been caretaking the property was arrested, but was acquitted in a trial held two years later. The true identity of the murderer remains a mystery.
MUSEUM HONOURS McCALLUM
A new bylaw was introduced at the March 26th annual general meeting of Princeton and District Museum and Archives Society. The bylaw read: “The Society, at its Annual General Meeting, and on recommendation by the Board, may designate as Honourary President a member who is deemed to have made an extraordinary contribution to the Society. The Honourary President is exempted from the payment of membership fees and is a member ex officio of the Board.” Following acceptance of the new bylaw, long-time volunteer Evelyn McCallum was named as Honourary President. “I’m honoured...and shocked,” were her words following the announcement. The election of officers was conducted by Town of Princeton Councillor Jerome Tjerkstra and saw Rika Ruebsaat move from Acting President to President, Martin Hough was returned to the seat of Treasurer, Marjorie Holland continues as Secretary and returning Directors are Terry Malanchuk, Lori Weissbach, Tip Anderson, Jon Bartlett and Kathy Clement. The Vice President’s seat sits empty. In other Museum news, Brian Wilson of the Okanagan Archive Trust Society announced that he had sorted through the files of photographs on file at the facility. Not including donations from various private collections, Wilson said he had removed duplicates, cleaned, copied, identified and catalogued roughly 2,500 photos. The museum now has all of these carefully preserved and restored photos on a disc. Wilson referred the desire of a photo archivist as, “We are driven to save this stuff.” He also said that a number of amazing panoramic photos taken by Walter Ring were restored and preserved. Ring was based in Hedley between 1937 and 1950-something and is well known for his panoramic photos depicting life and activities in the communities in the Similkameen Valley. In thanking Wilson for his work, President Ruebsaat stated, “We are indeed blessed to have you on our side. This is absolutely vital work with these items constantly deteriorating.”
Thirty years ago, everyone in the Similkameen Valley was talking about the headless corpse found in an orchard on Ferko Road in Cawston. The corpse was identified as Florence Ottilie Deflers of Toulan, a small town near Paris, France. The head had been removed from her body by a very strong blow that cut one of her dangling earrings in half. Florence Deflers had been reported as missing in July, 1984. She had left her boyfriend’s residence in the Cariboo in late June to travel to Cawston to meet with friends. She bought some food at the health food store in Keremeos, then walked to Cawston to her friends’ house. They were not at home. Somehow, she arrived at the Nicholson home on Ferko Road. The Nicholsons were gone for the summer. The house was empty. Her boyfriend contacted the friends, then tried to contact her. The 26 year old French citizen was a student at a university in California. When she did not arrive at the university, and nobody had heard from her, her parents and her boyfriend became seriously worried. In November, her photograph appeared in a local newspaper asking for any information as to her whereabouts. Nobody came forward. Deflers father was an important member of the Paris media community, and he put pressure on Canada’s diplomats to find his daughter. The diplomats managed to put pressure on the RCMP, but there were no real leads. Deflers boyfriend heard of a psychic who had assisted police during the Clifford Olson murder investigations. The boyfriend contacted the psychic, taking personal belongings of Deflers to the psychic. The psychic said Deflers was located in an orchard in the Cawston area. The search for Deflers began and ended at the Nicholson property, where evidence had been found indicating Deflers had been there. When the Nicholsons had returned home in the autumn of 1984, they found a few women’s items that did not belong to them. They knew somebody had been in their home, but they did not know who it might have been. Then they found a paper bag containing food from the health food store, and they found Deflers wallet in the bag. They reported it to police.
Police swarmed the Nicholson property and found the shallow grave under a loose piece of plywood. The head was never found. A person who had been caretaking the property was arrested, but was acquitted in a trial held two years later. The true identity of the murderer remains a mystery.
MUSEUM HONOURS McCALLUM
A new bylaw was introduced at the March 26th annual general meeting of Princeton and District Museum and Archives Society. The bylaw read: “The Society, at its Annual General Meeting, and on recommendation by the Board, may designate as Honourary President a member who is deemed to have made an extraordinary contribution to the Society. The Honourary President is exempted from the payment of membership fees and is a member ex officio of the Board.” Following acceptance of the new bylaw, long-time volunteer Evelyn McCallum was named as Honourary President. “I’m honoured...and shocked,” were her words following the announcement. The election of officers was conducted by Town of Princeton Councillor Jerome Tjerkstra and saw Rika Ruebsaat move from Acting President to President, Martin Hough was returned to the seat of Treasurer, Marjorie Holland continues as Secretary and returning Directors are Terry Malanchuk, Lori Weissbach, Tip Anderson, Jon Bartlett and Kathy Clement. The Vice President’s seat sits empty. In other Museum news, Brian Wilson of the Okanagan Archive Trust Society announced that he had sorted through the files of photographs on file at the facility. Not including donations from various private collections, Wilson said he had removed duplicates, cleaned, copied, identified and catalogued roughly 2,500 photos. The museum now has all of these carefully preserved and restored photos on a disc. Wilson referred the desire of a photo archivist as, “We are driven to save this stuff.” He also said that a number of amazing panoramic photos taken by Walter Ring were restored and preserved. Ring was based in Hedley between 1937 and 1950-something and is well known for his panoramic photos depicting life and activities in the communities in the Similkameen Valley. In thanking Wilson for his work, President Ruebsaat stated, “We are indeed blessed to have you on our side. This is absolutely vital work with these items constantly deteriorating.”