special features - route 3 - winter

WINTER2015

Life in the West Kootenay/Boundary Region

P E O P L E A R T S H O M E S F O O D C U L T U R E R E C R E A T I O N H I S T O R Y

Freeride skier living his dream

BUILDING COMMUNITYwith credit unions

MARTIAL ARTSmaking a global di� erence

SCULPTING A LIFEAboriginal artist David Seven Deers

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

Kootenay Co-op 295 Baker St, Nelsont: 250 354 4077 [email protected]

Living his dreamby Tyler Harper page 4

The Raven’s messageby Joan Thompson page 7

Building community through � nancial cooperativesby Chelsea Novakpage 12

Winter on the waterby Jim Baileypage 17

Champions of justiceby Betsy Klinepage 20

contents

PUBLISHER/EDITORChuck [email protected]

SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGERKaren [email protected]

PRODUCTION Sandy LeonardKately Hurley, Jaime Taraso� [email protected]

ROUTE 3 is published by Black Press514 Hall St, Nelson, BC V1L 1Z2250-352-1890

Printed in Canada. Copyright 2015 by Black Press. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photo-graph, or artwork without written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. The publisher can assume no responsibility for unsolicited material.

Winter 2015 ROUTE 3

The newest feature on Kootenay Savings’ mobile app lets you use your smartphone to deposit cheques anywhere, anytime. Fast, secure and FREE, check it out now at kscu.com.

Tap. Snap. Send. Relax.

It’s that easy with Deposit Anywhere™

™DEPOSIT ANYWHERE is a trademark of Central 1 Credit Union, used under license.

LUCKY LARRY FISHING DERBYJanuary 1, 2016Balfour

NEW YEAR’S DAY POLAR BEAR SWIMJanuary 1, 2016 Lakeside Park, NelsonThis annual event is a fundraiser for the Nelson Rhythm Ropers as brave souls make the plunge into the icy waters of Kootenay Lake each New Year’s Day.

WHITEWATER 40TH ANNIVERSA-RY CELEBRATIONJanuary 15, 2016Whitewater, NelsonWhitewater celebrates 40 years with a full day of excitement at the resort. There will be live music, a variety of events both on and off the mountain.

ROSSLAND WINTER CARNIVALJanuary 28-31, 2016RosslandCanada’s Oldest Winter Carnival was started in 1898. Traditions continue on Friday night with the carnival parade that gives participants a chance to dress up in costume and be part of the fun. While downtown watch Pyrophoria, the fire spinners as they entertain the crowds, be sure to visit the Olaus Ice Palace created by Slocan Ice Sculp-tures and listen to the live music of the Good Ol' Goats. Still more to come on Saturday starting with the Fireman's Pancake breakfast in the morning and the amazing Sonny Samuelson Bobsled Race that comes screaming down Spokane Street.

BLIZZARD MUSIC FESTJanuary 28-30, 2016RosslandBlizzardFest takes place across five venues during Rossland Winter Carnival. Venues include the Miners' Hall, The Fly-ing Steamshovel, the Old Fire Hall, the Ice Palace Beer Garden and the Alpine Grind. www.blizzardmusicfest.com

5TH ANNUAL SMITH JUNIOR FREESKI OPEN AT WHITEWATER January 29-31, 2016Whitewater, Nelson

CHRISTINA LAKE WINTERFESTJanuary 29-31, 2016Christina LakeA long-standing tradition at Christina Lake returns when the community hosts their annual winter celebration.! The theme is “Snow Fiesta!” and the event features Sno-pitch, kids games, food and fun. For information contact the Visitor Info Centre at 250-447-616 or email [email protected].

FAMILY DAY CELEBRATIONSFebruary 6-8, 2016Grand ForksPlanning for Family Day 2016 festivities is already under way in the City of Grand Forks. A full schedule of fun will be featured, tentatively to include free events downtown on Market Avenue on Saturday, as well as bowling and a movie; and free skiing, swimming and skating on Sunday and Monday. For information phone Sarah at 250-442-8266.

COLDSMOKE POWDER FESTIVALFebruary 19-21, 2016Whitewater, NelsonThe Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Fest was created to provide a grass-roots gathering where mountain enthusiasts of all levels can celebrate our local culture with a breathtaking backdrop on world-renowned snow.

TIDBITS – a taste of what’s happening in the West Kootenay/Boundary

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

All Trace Cooke wants to hear is the sound of his own breath. He doesn’t want any distractions as he thinks about what line he’s going

to take or what tricks he’ll do. Even when he’s surrounded by other skiers, Cooke wants to feel alone with the mountain.

“It’s the kind of feeling that I strive for and I love that feeling,” says Cooke. “Just being alone, hearing only my breath. A lot of people ski with music and I don’t really like to. I just like to hear my breath and hear my mind think and that’s what I really love about it.”

Years of quiet deliberation are about to pay o� for Cooke. The 20-year-old from Nelson is set to make his debut on the Freeride World Tour in January. The � ve-event competition will take Cooke to Andorra, France, Austria, Alaska and Switzerland. It’s a trip Cooke has dreamed of, and one that didn’t always seem possible.

Cooke, who counts Whitewater Ski Resort, Village Ski Hut and Nelson Brewing Company among his local sponsors, has been on skis since he was two years old and has always been a freerider at heart. He prefers a hill without fences, gates or sculpted jumps. Freeriding is nothing new, but it was only in 2004 that skiing and snowboarding were integrated into one tour that is judged by a skier’s chosen path and tricks attempted down a mountain. That makes the sport, which isn’t included in the Olympics, o� cially a novice compared to FIS events like cross-country or downhill.

That doesn’t bother Cooke. His options were limited growing up — he notes he had no moguls or park jumps nearby — but the mountain gave him all he needed.

STORY BY Tyler Harper

Trace Cooke is about to join the world’s best freeride skiers

SPORTS

Living

➤

Livinghis dream

Winter 2015 ROUTE 3

SPORTS

This is how he does it: � rst Cooke sizes up the mountain as he rides up the chair. He looks for di� erent lines, makes note of any natural landmarks and considers possible jumps. Most of the competitions he’s done allow for a couple practice runs down the course. On the tour, however, he’ll only get to inspect the hill from the bottom with binoculars.

He also tries not to think about injuries. Cooke says he’s been told he looks scared before he starts down the hill, but in reality he’s actually just trying to stay calm.

Peter Velisek coached Cooke for � ve years when he was part of the junior freeride program at Whitewater. He saw right away how talented Cooke was, that he was a natural athlete, but Velisek was also impressed by his protege’s fearlessness.

“When you’re in the competition situation, some people will choke up and just not ski how they normally can, not ski to their potential,” says Velisek. “Or they might drop in and have a few funny turns and then they get it and they start shredding.”

“Trace is like, when you are in the start gate with him, he’s already there. He’s in the zone and he’s so focused, and it’s like he’s able to focus even more under that pressure. He really gets in the zone. He’s a really great competitor.”

Focus hasn’t saved him from every injury. Cooke skied into a boulder hid-den by snow during a competition and tore up several knee ligaments in January 2014. He took two weeks o� , but had previously committed to a competition at Chamonix, France, and didn’t want to back out and lose spon-sorship money. ➤

Steve Robert Studio.

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

Instead, Cooke taped up his knee and entered the competition. As he prepared prior to a run, he realized his leg wasn’t going to make it to the � nish line. “So I mentally switched all my other muscles into full-on hold-the-knee-together mode and rode mainly on one ski for the entire thing,” says Cooke.

He � gured when he was done he’d either end up with a mangled knee or a victory. He limped away with a � rst-place � nish.

It was a good moral victory, but it still ended his hopes of qualifying for the Freeride World Tour. This year, Cooke told himself he wouldn’t miss out on the tour again. He won two of the � rst three events, but started to slip in the standings with several poor � nishes.

With two events to go it became clear Cooke would need some math-ematical help. He secured the required seventh-place � nish in Crested Butte, Colorado, meaning he’d need a second-place result at Wrangle the Chute in Golden in April. He also needed American veteran Andrew Rumph to � nish worse than 16th.

Cooke quali� ed third before his � nal run. He stood at the start gate, listening to his breath and the cheers of the crowd unseen at the bottom of the hill. First place was out of the question — he was too far back in the points to win — but second was still a possibility.

“That run was the most scared I’ve ever been at the top of a compe-tition venue,” he says. “Just because I knew if I crashed it was all over, if I won it might not be enough. It was a lot to go through my head.”

Cooke landed a 360 on his � rst cli� and realized all he needed to do was stay on his feet after that. He’d planned another trick near the bot-tom, but pumped his � sts in the air instead. He knew he’d made it.

Cooke � nished second and Rumph ended up 20th. Still, he needed to wait more than three weeks for the results to be made o� cial. “It was really awesome, probably the best day of my life, and I still didn’t know if I’d made it,” he says.

When the wait was over, the numbers were on Cooke’s side. He was � nally in.

SPORTS

If it’s skis we have it!

Cross countryBackcountry

DownhillTelemark

Gerick your one stop ski shop

We have your Ski GearFeet hurt?Professional custom ski boot fi ttings

If it’s ski equipment you needHelmetsGogglesClothingWax, we have it!

www.gericks.com702 baker st nelson 250.354.4622 1-877-GERICK1

Image courtesy Whitewater Ski Resort, credit Steve Robert

Image courtesy Whitewater Ski Resort, Image courtesy Whitewater Ski Resort, credit Steve Robert

Image courtesy Whitewater Ski Resort,

The Raven’s

message

Winter 2015 ROUTE 3

STORY BY Joan Thompson

— Sculpting a Life in Grand Forks with aboriginal artist, David Seven Deers

➤

“This stone I am working with right now is a piece of earth, 380 million years old, from Brazil. The Pre-Cambrian red granite from the Canadian Shield that I used to carve a sculpture (100 tons) that now stands in San Francisco was much older at 3.5 billion years.”

Within moments of stepping into the sunlit space of sculptor David Seven Deer’s studio alongside busy Route 3 in Grand Forks, I am swept into the vastness of a master sculptor’s world, a world which links mil-lions of years with thousands of tons of stone and centuries of cultural traditions. It is a world that Seven Deers nimbly navigates. Flipping be-tween English, Halkomelem (his native language), and German (an ad-opted language), Seven Deers references Greek myths, new archeolog-ical theories, Mayan traditions and Vedic Brahman beliefs as he chisels on the ancient Brazilian slate. He is working on a series of petroglyphs which will visually represent key legends of his ancestors — the Sto:lo Coast Salish (pronounced Stah Lo). Not surprisingly, the story emerging on the stone in front of us features a raven, iconic � gure for the people of the Sto:lo Nation.

“The Raven and the spirit of our ancestors play a vital role in our lives as guides, teachers and messengers. We are led by the wise advice of our ancestors and for me it meant becoming a stone carver and follow-ing a path that would eventually lead me here, to Grand Forks.” Being called to a life in art is not for the faint of heart so I suspected the path to becoming an internationally recognized aboriginal artist who chooses to work from a small town in the Interior of B.C. may not have been as e� ortlessly inevitable as he made it sound. I urged him to tell me more.

ARTS

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

Growing up in the Fraser Valley, Seven Deers credits the encourage-ment of his aunt Rosaleen George and the “fighting spirit” acquired on the streets of Vancouver with supplying him the strength to carry out his ancestor’s wishes — to pursue a life as an artist. The journey to his now favored medium, stone, began in 1974 with woodcarving and painting at The Vancouver School of Art (now The Emily Carr University of Art and Design). Uninspired by the school’s exclusive championing of mod-ern trends in art, he decided to continue his studies in Europe where he could learn “the fine old ways of doing a masterpiece.” It was there that he turned to the challenge of bringing beauty out of stone begin-ning with an apprenticeship in East Anglia, England, and later with The Stone Guilds of London. Involvement in restoration and stonemasonry projects with these “masters of marble” initiated him into the classic tra-dition of historic stone carving. A subsequent fifteen years in Germany allowed Seven Deers to hone his craft as a “steinmetz” (butcher of stone) and refine his unique style as a modern aboriginal sculptor of stone.

While the sculpting of Madonnas and other standard commissions for public works of art in Germany were initial mainstays of his livelihood, Seven Deers was increasingly drawn to the art and stories of his ances-try. Aboriginal themes began to distinguish his work, such as the large sculpture he titled “The Beauty and The Beast” which depicts nature (in the form of a naked woman) struggling against the developing world (in the form of a stark granite wall). Seven Deers’ work steadily began to attract the attention of European audiences and in 1995 he was asked to create totem poles for the ethnological museums in Hamburg and in Munich, and act as co-curator of an exhibition of North American indig-enous cultures in Hamburg.

“Europe’s long tradition of supporting art, artists and public art works was a terrific boon for me as a young artist, and I was able to develop a wonderful connection to the German people, many of whom valued in-digenous culture and empathized with our history. I returned to Canada in 1997 with my German wife, Sanna, when my aunt Rosaleen suggest-ed it was perhaps time to come home again. When a good elder gives you a tip, it’s not something you can ignore! After a couple of years of living on the Sto:lo reserve in Chilliwack where I worked on finishing some commissions for European clients, we were ready to strike out into the wilds of the B.C. interior, purchasing 160 acres in the mountains between Greenwood and Midway with the sale of one of my sculptures.”

“We lived in a tent while building our house, our babies were fed off of a fire, clothes washed on a scrub board and power provided by the sun. It was paradise. And inspiration for a number of books by Sanna that chronicled living, working and bringing up a family in the Canadian wil-derness. They remain very popular with German audiences. After twelve years of living off the grid, however, it was time to address the needs of our four growing children and consider the benefits of city living. That’s when we traded our mountain home for this one in the center of Grand Forks. Though Sanna continues to homeschool the children, other equally important parts of their education — like piano lessons, choir, horseback riding and association with their peers — are available to them now that we live in town.” ➤

ARTS

Winter 2015 ROUTE 3

Long an enigma to fellow residents of the Boundary, the move has opened up new landscapes for Seven Deers, the artist, as well. Recently invited by the Boundary school district to design and sculpt an instal-lation that would facilitate community learning, the resulting “Stektahl” (Gateway Project), standing equidistant between the elementary and secondary schools in Midway, was enthusiastically embraced by the entire community when unveiled in June 2015. Set appropriately in the park that commemorates the fellowship between neighboring First Na-tions bands along the 49th parallel, the installation involves a large free standing archway which welcomes you into a ring of twenty individu-ally hewn stone seats, each with its own petroglyph. Presiding over the circle is the sleek black “Heelah” (raven), lovingly carved out of a large piece of basalt crystal. Together with a flat smudge stone in the mid-dle of the circle (an important component of all aboriginal gatherings, where smoke is used to cleanse the assembled of any negative energy), the tableau of sculptures dramatically demarcate the open outdoor classroom and traditions central to aboriginal belief.

“To us, education and art are gentle, truthful processes which are in-tegral to life and that cannot be separated from it. The outdoor learning circle provides all students with an opportunity to appreciate this belief in action; to listen to each other (as we would to our ancestors whose stories would offer us guidance and wisdom), and to confer on issues of importance to the group assembled. And above all, it behooves those gathered to remember that when a decision has been reached, its single most important determining criteria is that it will bring forth “mahmele leeyam” (the laughter of children).”

Seven Deers is clearly passionate and knowledgeable about the wis-dom inherent in the stories and beliefs of his ancestors. And while for most of his life he has transmitted those stories through his carvings, he also recognizes the important service he can provide as an oral histori-an of his culture. He stays connected with the school district and youth through continued service as an aboriginal storyteller and cultural fa-cilitator. As well, he has issued a number of books in the last few years — in both German and English — that memorialize some signature leg-ends of the Salish people. If education, according to writer G.K. Chester-ton, is “simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another”, then Grand Forks is blessed with a most wonderful model to consider. “Hei chicka” (thank you), David Seven Deers.

7370 4th Street, Grand Forks 250-442-5560Open 7 days a week

Meat Department Staff.

Stop in and meet our

Meats and sausages are cut and made daily.

Our butchers are always available for your special orders and cuts.

“Proud to support local producers”

ARTS

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

CULTURED BY NATURE

The Nelson Kootenay Lake culture is a culmination of our natural surroundings, arts, and heritage combined with the spice of the people who live here. Everywhere you go you will feel the vibe that we value and embrace.

HeritageWith more heritage buildings per capita than anywhere in British Columbia, history defines the Nelson and Kootenay Lake region. From heritage sites like the SS Moyie in Kaslo to our Electric Tramway in Nelson, history here is alive, shared, and shaped by the people drawn to this region: we are Dreamers and Dissidents, as noted by local filmmaker Amy Bouhigan’s award-winning film that captures the spirit of our heritage. It’s all about the people, and the people are fascinating.

Museums & GalleriesTo capture some of this heritage, our region invests in galleries and museums that stray far from staid: vibrant, creative and cutting-edge, our local museums live and breathe Nelson Kootenay Lake culture. Places such as Touchstones Museum, Oxygen Art Centre, Kootenay School of the Arts and the Langham in Kaslo infuse our region with an authentic vibe, complementing our many art galleries expressing that Nelson Kootenay Lake vibe perfectly.

Shopping, Dining & Artisans From artisans whose studios populate the highway along Balfour, to vibrant downtown shopping districts in Nelson and Kaslo, we’ve got a heady local economy which makes shopping fun. And when you get hungry, stop in for a bite at one of our many local cafes and restaurants. We’ve got more restaurants per captia than San Fransisco or New York, so there’s plenty to choose from.

Theatres & FilmsDon’t tell locals here that they can’t have something. When Nelson’s Civic Theatre threatened to close, volunteers rallied together and reopened it as a community-funded theatre. It is now thriving alongside the popular Capitol Theatre and Oxygen Art Centre. Our towns also boast venues offering live music, theatre and performances to rival much larger centres.

Natural SurroundingsAll this, set in no less than magical surroundings. Natural hot springs, most notably First Nations owned Ainsworth Hot Springs, Selkirk and Purcell mountain ranges, many park and recreational areas brought together by our Kootenay Lake welcome you to explore our area: cultured, by nature.

To learn more about this magical region visit: NELSONKOOTENAYLAKE.COM

By Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism

Nelson ∙ Balfour ∙ Ainsworth Hot Springs ∙ Kaslo ∙ Meadow Creek ∙ Lardeau

Ainsworth Hot Springs

Blue Night Nelson. Photo by Adrian Wagner

Winter 2015 ROUTE 3

CERAMICSJEWELRYSCULPTURAL METALTEXTILESFind out about our new Open Studio Advanced Certificate.selkirk.ca/ksa

KOOTENAY STUDIO ARTS. NELSON, BC.

Intimate class settings. Hands-on learning. Spectacular location.

THE CAPITOL THEATRELive touring and local music, theatre, dance and comedyAlternative Films and Documentaries • Licensed Premises

Annual Subscription Series • Annual Kids SeriesChristmas Pantomime • Summer Youth Theatre • Rentals

Over 140 events per year

www.capitoltheatre.bc.ca • 250.352.6363421 Victoria Street , Nelson BC

Photos - clockwise from top left: ArtsClub Theatre Photo: David Cooper / Evalyn Parry Photo: Jeremy Minnagh / Ballet BC / Fei Guo Photo: David Cooper/ Sarah Jane Hicks Photo: Chris Shepherd / Allison Girvan Photo: Karen Redfern / Axis Theatre / Mike Stack Photo: David Cooper / Atlantic Ballet of Canada Photo: Aleksandr Onyshchenko

ONLINE EVENTS CALENDAR and TICKET SALES

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

STORY BY Chelsea Novak

COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

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through � nancial cooperatives

Four credit unions operate along the West Kootenay/Boundary Route 3 corridor. In some towns, they are the only � nancial institutions to o� er banking services. Founded locally, credit unions not only provide services to their members, who buy into the cooperative-based institutions for $25 a share, they also give back to the communities.

Credit unions in the area date back to the late 1940s and have grown considerably since then.

Heritage Credit Union (HCU) started out as Castlegar Savings Credit Union in early 1949, founded by 11 members, and acquired Slocan Valley Credit Union and its 550 members in the early 1970s. The credit union changed its name to Heritage after it opened its branch in Greenwood in 2005.

Grand Forks Credit Union (GFCU) began with 19 members in August 1949. The goal was to o� er � nancial support for small businesses.

“Each person put a $30 bucket of money into the pot, which probably seemed like a lot of money to them at the time and e� ectively that mon-ey was then used to lend out to other people,” explains Becky Clements, operations manager at Grand Forks Credit Union. “It might have been to buy a truck for somebody to do some logging or maybe a vehicle to be able to provide a service delivery.”

Essentially the idea was to provide support to people who couldn’t get a loan from a mainstream bank.

The Nelson and District Credit Union (NDCU) was incorporated by 10 Nelson residents in November 1950, and now operates in Nelson,

Rossland and Crawford Bay. It merged with Riondel and District Credit Union, which had been operation since 1954, in the 1980s, gaining 570 members and merged with Rossland Credit Union in 1999, gaining an-other 3,500 members.

Kootenay Savings formed in January 1969 when three credit unions in Trail, Fruitvale and Castlegar amalgamated, the � rst amalgamation of its kind in BC. Since then a number of smaller credit unions in the area have merged with Kootenay Savings, and the credit union has opened new locations and closed others. Kootenay Savings now has 11 branches in the region with their corporate o� ces being located in Trail.

All four credit unions give back to the communities they operate in by supporting local organizations and events.

Heritage Credit Union supports community non-pro� ts, such as the Castlegar Rotary Club, the Slocan Valley Historical Society and Greenwood Winterfest, as well as the United Way Success by 6 initiative, which is “ded-icated to ensuring that children aged zero to six have access to programs that support their healthy growth and development.”

It also supports community events.“We’re involved with … basically all of the community events: Sunfest,

Winterfest, the Kootenay Festival,” says Larry Bomak, operations manager at Heritage Credit Union. The credit union also supports minor hockey and soccer teams and has been a longstanding sponsor of the Castlegar Ladies Golf Tournament.

Winter 2015 ROUTE 3

COMMUNITY

➤

Four credit unions operate along the West Kootenay/Boundary Route Rossland and Crawford Bay. It merged with Riondel and District Credit

COMMUNITY

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

Reaching your goals

Nothing pleases us more than providing you with the right � nancial advice. Count on us to help with keeping your plans on track. Our business is all about your � nancial goals and helping you � nd the best way to reach them.

447 Market Avenue Grand Forks, BC250-442-5511 www.gfdscu.com

Grand Forks Credit Union supports the community by sponsoring events such as the Grand Forks International Ball Tournament, through scholarship funding, and through an endowment fund established with the Phoenix Foundation.

“The Phoenix Foundation is a not-for-pro� t foundation, which is built by donations from people within the community—businesses, indi-viduals and so forth—for the whole greater good of the community of the Boundary region at large,” explains Clements. “We’ve placed about $500,000 so far to the foundation.”

Money from the foundation then feeds back into the community to support local organizations.

The NDCU runs a community investment program to contribute � nancial or in-kind donations “in the areas of education, community, economic development, social responsibility, wellness, recreation and arts, culture and heritage.”

“Over the past decade or so, that program has given back over $3 million to our communities,” says Doug Stoddart, NDCU’s chief executive o� cer.

In 2014, the NDCU contributed over $141,000 through the program, including $1,000 to Nelson Search and Rescue, $10,000 to Rossland Skatepark Society, and $2,500 to the KBRH Foundation’s critical care unit.

The NDCU also gives back to the community through education funding, both by providing funding to elementary and secondary schools, and by providing scholarships to secondary and post-secondary students. ➤

COMMUNITY

Grand Forks Credit Union supports the community by sponsoring

TRADITIONAL SERVICEIN PERSON & ONLINE

Castlegar#100 - 630 - 17th Street,Castlegar, B.C. V1N 4G7phone: 250-365-7232 Fax: 250-365-2913

HERITAGECREDIT UNION Slocan valley

3014 Hwy 6, P.O. Box 39, Slocan Park, B.C. V0G 2E0Tel: 250-226-7212 Fax: 250-226-7351

For full details visit your branch. or visit us online at

www.heritagecu.ca

INTRODUCING E-STATEMENTSGo Green in 2010 – Help the Environment, Increase Efficiencies, and Save Money.Supporting all of our local minor hockey players!

WWW.HERITAGECU.CA

HELPING US, HELP YOUBanking, Borrowing, Investing, Insurance

West Boundary Branch256 S. Copper, P.O. Box 76Greenwood, BC V0H 1J0Phone: (250)445-9900

Fax: (250)445-9902

Slocan Valley Branch3014 Hwy 6, P.O. Box 39Slocan Park, BC V0G 2E0Phone: (250) 226-7212

Fax: (250)226-7351

Castlegar BranchUnit #100-630-17th Street

Castlegar, BC V1N 4G7Phone: (250)365-7232

Fax: (250)365-2913

Winter 2015 ROUTE 3 Winter 2015 ROUTE 3 Page 15

COMMUNITY

Outside of funding, NDCU also helps community organizations with their community tents, which can be borrowed for use during commu-nity events.

Kootenay Savings supports the communities where it operates by providing funding to students and organizations, including two region-al health foundations, and by hosting annual outdoor movie nights in support of local food banks.

“We have a grants program through our Kootenay Savings Community Foundation. We also award bursaries to local students through our Kootenay Savings Community Foundation,” says Aaron Burke, community liaison for Kootenay Savings. “We also have a corporate sponsorship program. We do a lot of in-kind donations for all sorts of events and happenings all across the Kootenays, and we have a lot of volunteerism from our employees.”

Kootenay Savings also runs an employee Care Wear program.“Employees pay into a fund to be able to dress casually on Fridays and

then every year, on Credit Union Day all the money is given out to a charity of the branch or department’s choice,” explains Burke.

Credit unions also play an important role in supporting small businesses. “Across Canada, credit unions are number two in supporting small busi-

nesses, slightly behind the Royal Bank,” says Stoddart, who represents the Kootenays on the Provincial Credit Union board of directors, is an elected member of the Canadian Credit Union Association and Canada’s elected representative for the World Council of Credit Unions.

He suspects that in the Kootenays, credit unions are even more important in supporting small business.

Credit unions support small businesses by o� ering them � nancial services that support their needs.

“It goes back to, in many cases, how and why we were created,” says Clements. “There’s a need for some small borrowing to do some startup business and/or to add some additional support to an existing business.”

Kootenay Savings has gone one step further by creating a number of small business advisor positions, which Burke explains enables them to “connect with the small business community, be able to o� er them not only the banking services, but hopefully some really good professional advice as well.”

When it comes to pro� ts, credit unions both invest them back into the community and pay out to their members.

“Some credit unions pay patronage dividends and dividends on equity shares back to their members,” says Stoddart. “At Nelson and District, we prefer to reinvest our pro� ts in the community through our community investment program.”

Kootenay Savings and Heritage Credit Union both o� er annual pro� t sharing to their members.

“We distribute pro� ts every year as approved by our board of directors, and how that is, is you’re awarded a share of the pro� ts based on the amount of business you do with Kootenay Savings,” says Burke.

COMMUNITY

Outside of funding, NDCU also helps community organizations with He suspects that in the Kootenays, credit unions are even more important

COMMUNITY

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

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Visit Touchstones Nelson: Museum of

Art & History

Golf Granite Pointe, minutes from downtown

Nelson

Relax and Enjoy Ainsworth Hot Springs

Just a short drive North of Nelson

Explore, Dine and Shop Historic Baker

Street. A true adventure in itself

Photos by David Gluns Photos by David Gluns

Visitor Centre 225 Hall St. Nelson BC V1L 5X4

Ph: (250) 352-3433 Toll Free: 1-877-663-5706 Email: [email protected] Web: www.discoverNelson.com

Visitor Centre

91 Baker Street V1L 4G8Ph: (250) 352-3433 Toll Free: 1-877-663-5706

Email: [email protected] Web: www.discoverNelson.com

Photos by David Gluns

Visit Touchstones Nelson: Museum of

Art & History

Golf Granite Pointe, minutes from downtown

Nelson

Relax and Enjoy Ainsworth Hot Springs

Just a short drive North of Nelson

Explore, Dine and Shop Historic Baker

Street. A true adventure in itself

Photos by David Gluns

Visitor Centre 225 Hall St. Nelson BC V1L 5X4

Ph: (250) 352-3433 Toll Free: 1-877-663-5706 Email: [email protected] Web: www.discoverNelson.com

“We do pay patronage and dividends back to the members,” says Bomak from HCU. “That’s declared once a year by the board of directors, after our year end � nancials are complete and audited.”

Clements from GFCU says they also pay out dividends and patronage to members, but says it’s also important for them to keep some money in reserves to adapt to changing technologies and stay competitive as � nancial institutions.

“It’s a very cost driven business to be in,” she says. “We don’t have the deep, deep pockets of corporate banking Canada to be able to invest copious millions and millions of dollars into some technologies where they may be a leader in that.”

The reason credit unions make a priority of giving back to the community is because they are owned by members of the community. Members not only hold shares but can also vote at annual general meetings.

“We’re member owned, so by promoting and helping the community, which our members live in, it just gives back to the community and gets that cycle going,” says Bomak from HCU. “Help the community, help the businesses, help the members and it’s just a full circle.”

“Because we’re a � nancial cooperative or member owned, it’s super important for us to provide that community support. I mean our members are our owners,” says Burke from Kootenay Savings. “It’s people living locally, so ideally if we have an attractive place to live and work, then we have a really strong membership. We’re more successful if our communities are more successful.”

“The credit union needs the community to thrive and the community needs the credit union to thrive, and together that can be a fantastic success,” says Clements from GFCU. “That’s what’s kept us here for [nearly] 67 years.”

“Every member is an owner of the credit union,” says Stoddart from NDCU. “We’re not dictated like the banks with stock markets and shares and performance. We follow the seven principles of cooperation, and one of the key ones is commitment to community and giving back to community.”

Stoddart says it’s also important for credit unions to give back because it di� erentiates them from the banks.

“All the banks are in our market place, and none of them give back any-where near the support to the communities that credit unions do,” he says.

The Kootenay-Boundary is renowned as a winter playground for out-door enthusiasts who take to their snowmobiles, snowshoes or skis to recreate. But there are few places in North America where you can hit the slopes one day, and � sh for the world’s largest rainbow trout the next.

Our region o� ers a variety of winter � shing opportunities and desti-nations, including trolling large lakes, � y � shing or spin casting on the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers, or angling on a myriad of frozen lakes for some hard-water action. And there aren’t many residents who know the area and its waters better than Kerry Reed of Reel Adventures Sport Fishing Charters.

“Winter in the West Kootenay o� ers many opportunities for anglers,” says Reed. “We’re lucky enough to have large lakes that don’t freeze over, so one opportunity is to � sh either Kootenay Lake, Arrow Lake or Slocan Lake from shore or on a boat.”

Reed grew up in the Kootenays with a � shing rod in his hand and an insatiable appetite for angling on Kootenay lakes and streams.

Trolling these lakes in winter usually entails a slow troll depending on the lure, which include hand tied bucktail � ies, hockey sticks, spoons, Bill Norman or Lyman plugs, and � asher-hoochie combos. Anglers are rewarded for the e� orts by hooking into a unique strain of Gerrard rain-bow trout and large bull trout that can top 20 pounds. Fishing for these potentially massive trout is an incredible experience and some of the best � shing comes during the icy grip of winter, but with Reed as cap-tain, it doesn’t have to be a chilly experience.

“My favourite type of winter � shing just might have to be the com-forts of my heated boat on Kootenay Lake, trolling for giant rainbows,” says Reed. “Although that has been changing too.”

Winter 2015 ROUTE 3

RECREATION

Winter

➤

on the water

STORY BY Jim Bailey

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

While Kootenay Lake has faced its challenges of late with low kokan-ee returns, which a� ect large Gerrard trout populations, the cyclical nature of the � shery means it is expected to rebound to its former glo-ry. In the meantime, Reed is taking advantage of a � shery in transition.

“Kootenay Lake is still producing lots of � sh,” Reed explains. “In fact, we are catching more � sh than ever before. However, the decline in kokanee as a main food source has created a decline in large � sh. So, a normal day on the lake now would consist of 10 to 15 � sh between two-and-� ve pounds.”

Winter � shing does not con� ne itself to the large lakes but includes the best tail-water � shery in North America, the Columbia and Koote-nay Rivers. The 60-kilometre stretch of the Columbia from Castlegar to Lake Roosevelt in Washington State is the last free-� owing section remaining in the over 2,000 km length of the river and holds the best � shing for wild rainbow trout.

“The Columbia River is open to � shing year round,” added Reed. “

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Winter 2015 ROUTE 3

“In fact, a lot of our biggest � sh caught on the Columbia happen between December and March.”

These hard-� ghting Columbia River rainbows can be caught on the � y by casting sinking lines, sink tips, or nymphing with a � oating line. Favourite � ies include Clouser minnows, stone� y nymphs, or leech patterns. But hold on, for the lunkers that lurk in deep pools or in the seams of runs and ri� es will peel you like an egg, and you’ll � nd your-self into your backing in mere seconds.

For shore � shers, casting spoons or spinners or � shing a three-way rig baited with shrimp, maggots, or worm with a spin-n-glow, corkie, or marshmallow � oat and a one-ounce weight can be very produc-tive.

Ice � shing is another popular option. The basic gear required is a rod and reel, an ice auger, warm clothes, hook, sinkers, and bait. Many get by with an axe and simply chop out the thin ice formed over the old holes, but having an auger gives more options when it comes to pros-

pecting hard water. Early in the winter season, trout will feed close to shore on aquatic invertebrates and leeches still munching on de-caying organic matter. So drill your holes in water between four and 10 feet deep. The types of bait vary from a single hook with worms, maggots, corn, and shrimp to arti� cial soft baits, jigs, and lures.

There are plenty of stocked lakes around the Kootenay-Boundary that are great for ice � shing, such as: Summit Lake, Box Lake, Fish Lake, Bear Lake, Jewel Lake, Wilgress Lake, Rosebud Lake, Erie Lake, Third Champion Lake and Nancy Greene.

The West Kootenay-Boundary o� ers a variety of epic opportunities in the height of winter to satisfy the casual caster or even the most ardent angler.

“I guess I am just happy to partake in any type of � shing,” says Reed. “It’s great to have the options.”

See B.C. freshwater � shing regulations for angling and water restric-tions.

RECREATION

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

Something that started as just an idea in a West Kootenay Tae Kwon Do instructor’s mind, has now turned into a growing organization that is having a global impact.

In 2014 Master Dean Simino� of Kootenay Christian Martial Arts de-cided that he wanted to motivate his students and other martial arts schools to take the part of his school’s student oath that says, “We will be champions of freedom and justice,” and move it from words to ac-tions.

Thus, Martial Arts for Justice (MAJ) was born. The organization is de-signed to be an alliance of martial artists and school owners that choose to actively pursue justice, locally and globally. In many countries around the world, justice issues can be the underlying problem that keeps peo-ple in poverty or oppression, including an estimated 36 million people who live in slavery.

MAJ’s signature fundraising event is called Breaking Boards Break-ing Chains. Participants raise pledges that correspond to the number of boards they will break during the event. In 2014, with seven schools participating, the campaign raised $16,000, in 2015 $26,000 was raised. Those numbers are expected to multiply in 2016 as more and more schools join. “We use it to educate other martial arts schools about the problem and to ask them to join us in the campaign,” said Simino� .

STORY BY Betsy Kline

PEOPLE

➤

STORY BY

Champions STORY BY

Betsy KlineSTORY BY

Champions of justice

Winter 2015 ROUTE 3

Simino� has a goal of mobilizing martial arts school on a global level to � ght for victims of violence, slavery and human tra� cking. “My initial goal was to get 1000 schools to participate in Breaking Boards and raise $1000 each, that would be $1 million,” said Simino� . “I know we are so early in the process, but I am already thinking that may be too small of a goal. The potential is huge and we are getting encouraged every time we talk to a new school master that sees the vision. I can be that one voice crying in the wilderness, but if you have 500 yelling, that di� erence is huge. That is what we are building here with Martial Arts for Justice. That grassroots organization that can pull together and unify.”

MAJ in turn, then supports International Justice Mission (IJM), a global organization with � eld o� ces around the world in areas that are high risk for justice problems. “When I � rst heard about IJM and the work they are doing and the problems they are � ghting, then it was kind of an easy deci-sion for me as a martial artist to get involved,” said Simino� . “Really, it is to be a champion for those who can not stick up for themselves.”

IJM works toward long term sustainable gains. Their four main tenants are to: rescue victims of violence, bring criminals to justice, restore survi-vors to safety and strength and strengthen the legal system. IJM works with locals and within the existing legal system. “To strengthen the justice system, we train local police forces and train court judges within the legal

system to ensure they do the long term work of protecting the vulnerable,” said IJM BC director of development and mobilization Phil Reilly.

“What motivates us is that we believe all humanity is created in the image of God and therefore deserving of the freedom and liberty that you and I experience here,” added Reilly. IJM � eld o� ces are sta� ed with trained investigators, who work with local authorities to put a case togeth-er. Once the case is made, and a rescue from slavery or human tra� ck-ing takes place, lawyers are in place to ensure the criminals are brought to justice. The next step involves working with the victims and often in-volves working with other international non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). IJM’s after care plan involves getting the clients into safe homes and then following through with post traumatic therapy, education and vocational training by trained psychologists and social workers. Their aim is to support the survivors until they are ready to stand on their own.

Another piece of Martial Arts for Justice’s work is to help establish and support martial arts schools in at risk areas. Simino� will be travelling to Uganda and Rwanda in the new year to start several schools. He will be working with local contacts who already have Tae Kwon Do expertise, but need help to be viable � nancially. These schools will then be matched with a North American sister school which will help support them, enabling the students there to attend for free, or for a very small fee. ➤

Simino� has a goal of mobilizing martial arts school on a global level to � ght for victims of violence, slavery and human tra� cking. “My initial goal was to get 1000 schools to participate in Breaking Boards and raise $1000 each, that would be $1 million,” said Simino� . “I know we are so early in

system to ensure they do the long term work of protecting the vulnerable,” said IJM BC director of development and mobilization Phil Reilly.

“What motivates us is that we believe all humanity is created in the image of God and therefore deserving of the freedom and liberty that

PEOPLE

ROUTE 3 Winter 2015

Simino� feels this is an important part of the work as studies show that learning self defense and self awareness techniques reduce a person’s risk of becoming a victim of violence. A recent Stanford Medicine study showed a drastic reduction in the incidence of rape among adolescent Kenyan girls that participated in self defense courses.

More requests for assistance have already come in from Kenya and South Africa and MAJ hopes to help with schools there in the future. Plans are also being made to start a school closer to home in northern BC sup-porting First Nations in Quesnel. “Martial arts training gives them that self con� dence where they will be leaders in life and not victims,” said Simi-no� .

MAJ has now become a non-pro� t organization and has put together an impressive board of directors that are poised to guide the organization as it grows. On the board sits a member with a degree in justice studies and experience in global organizations, one with extensive experience with the BC Teachers Federation, members with experience as treasurers and board members of other non-pro� ts, and with marketing and graph-ics. Martial arts experience runs deep on the board with three school own-ers and the current vice president of Tae Kwon Do BC and Tae Kwon Do Canada. “I am thrilled with the depth of experienced members that have volunteered for our � rst board of directors,” said Simino� .

The International Justice Mission states that their average cost to sup-port one rescue from slavery is $4200. That means that in its � rst two years, Martial Arts for justice has raised enough money to pay the expens-es to free ten people from their misery. As MAJ continues to grow, it will be great to see how people here in the West Kootenay have made a tan-gible di� erence in the lives of those who are su� ering around the world.

For more information about MAJ or to make a donation go to www.martialartsforjustice.org.

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SPRING2015

Life in the West Kootenay/Boundary Region

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