Rick Rake

Whistler's tribute to fine wine and food: Cornucopia

Mmmmmm ... I can taste, smell and hear it already.  Flavours, aromas, laughter . . . all those synergies of eating, drinking, tasting and sharing stories at Whistler's Cornucopia, the ski centre's 15th annual celebration of wine and food.

It starts this Thursday  (Nov. 10) and you have an opportunity to enjoy culinary fare (plus beer and wine) like the offering on the tray below at the Best of BC House Party at the Whistler Convention Centre.

Before I get your tastebuds dancing the funky chicken, take a look at the complete schedule, ticket info and rosters of winemakers dinners, incredible tastings, special parties and dynamic seminars that you will never forget.  Click on Cornucopia. 

Yes, there will be wine.  Good wine.  And great people sharing their knowledge of it like wine educator Iain Philip below who, with his wife Barbara, presented the Wines of Argentina last year at the amazing Four Seasons Sidecut restaurant.

Then there's the laughter and the camaraderie . . . you might recognize wine broadcaster Terry David Mulligan and promoter Dana Lee Harris doing the tango after a serious wine session.

After that there's more food.  Top chefs from Whistler hotels showing you how presentation and flavours make Cornucopia-goers swoon.

Culture isn't forgotten at Cornucopia.  Last year the Top 25 wines celebration was housed in the beautiful Squamish Lil'Wat Cultural Centre (below), and again the food and wine offered exemplary taste explosions and smiles for Cornucopia patrons.

There is so much more to tell.  But again, click on the word Cornucopia above and discover for yourself the excitement of the many events.  Many of the wine sessions sell out quickly, so be hasty.  This group of perpetual wine students below  (wink, wink)  made sure they were in the right place at the right time.

 A highlight for Kathleen Rake and myself this year is meeting Canada's most widely read wine writer Natalie MacLean who Wine Library TV host Gary Vaynerchuk says brings "more fun to a buttoned-up and stodgy game."

On Friday (Nov. 11) . . . that's Remembrance Day . . . she will be at Whistler Conference Centre from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and at Fairmont Chateau Whistler from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.  You can get her book for $20 (a steal).  See the book trailer here.

Cornucopia, according to its promoters, is a four-day and night dazzling display of gourmet food and wines, attracting more than 10,000 people to the resort and catering to everyone from amateur enthusiasts to aficionados.

Held on the cusp of each ski season, Cornucopia now encompasses wineries and restaurants from Vancouver, greater B.C. and beyond.  The event has "become internationally recognized as a preeminent representation of the culinary and viticulture tourism industry" in Canada (with a Whistler attitude).

If you need to stay in Whistler, reference this site and save.

So if you're in the mood this weekend for some Whistler wine and food excitement, come to Cornucopia.  This our third year attending . . . and we enjoy it more each time.  Cheers.

 

Lagoon Cove: Where bear stories and happy hour are famous

 
 

Bill and Jean Barber love to tell stories.  Bill loves his bear stories, and Jean . . . from what I hear loves to tell the tale of how their sojourn to Lagoon Cove in 1992 turned into a retirement nest that so many boaters have come to enjoy.

As  Evita skipper John Laing approached the dock, I could hear Bill call out his name.  It's like John had never been away. 

We filled Evita's fuel tank with diesel, nestled into our part of the dock away from our sister boat, Kyan II with her crew of skipper Nick Bidgood and his Victoria friend, Rod.

Bill was quick to tell me that happy hour was at 5 p.m. at the workshop patio. It was a place for all the docked boaters to mingle, socialize and bring a plate of special food for others to sample.   John and I prepared a plate of cheese fingers wrapped in prosciutto, and oysters placed carefully on crackers.  Of course our shipmates did a little rib-tickling over our choices.

 
We walked the long dock to the workshop and met a number of new people, some from the U.S., others from B.C., and some who moored $2 million boats at Lagoon Cove.  What luxury!

Even though Bill wanted to burn the place down and start over when he arrived at his soon-to-be haven, he has created a place of beauty and history at Lagoon Cove.  His home alone (below) has spectacular views.  Good thing it didn't fall down the cliff before he rescued its foundations. 

 
Lagoon Cove is located on East Cracroft Island which is part of the pictureque Broughtons, near Minstrel Island.  To get away from it to head to places like Mound Bay where we spent the next night, you must navigate through rocky Beware Passage.

As part of happy hour, Bill brings his freshest catch of prawns to serve his guests.  And everyone goes away smiling.  There's Bill below with his latest bounty.

 
     

Everything is shared at Lagoon Cove.  Internet service is tucked into the tool shed.  Old wooden shipping crates tell a story of how Lagoon Cove came to be.  To get the full picture, buy one of the $15 cookbooks at the Lagoon Cove store on the dock.  It's called "Lagoon Cove Marina ... a bit of history and a book of recipes." 

I was told Bill had to edit his story down to a few short pages because his recipe book would have been a history tome if the publishers hadn't given him the eagle eye.  How do I know this story? Look at the lady behind the store counter below.  She knows everything.

   
Fun is the name of the game at Lagoon Cove.  Want to exercise? Try one of these stations (below).  Another one involves a hand-powered mower to take care of his grass.

 
Look at the eclectic mix of items at the workshop for sailors to marvel at.

 
Feels like a museum, doesn't it?

 
 A historic guitar is there to be enjoyed by people much like Evita skipper John Laing, a member of the Vancouver Bach Choir.

 
Evita was safe on the dock, so we explored even more.

 
The workshop is a very interesting place . . .

 
The Barbers' front door is well appointed.

 

John and I checked out the burn barrel featuring a totem created by the Barbers' son. Look what he used to create it.

 
And look at the sign that goes with it.

 
After a friendly game of horseshoes with the skipper, it was time to go.  Evita (in the blue and white at the end of the dock, looks beautiful).

 
 

Goodbye Lagoon Cove, for now ...

 
 
Cheers. 

 

 

Abbotsford is the agricultural capital of Canada, says report

Here is some more information as a quick follow-up to Rick's post yesterday about our agri-tour with the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce.

To read the report titled, Abbotsford, The Agricultural Capital of Canada, prepared by the Chamber and KPMG, click on the graphic below.

The first sub-head of the report says a lot:

Abbotsford has grown from a small logging, sawmilling, and brick manufacturing village to the agricultural capital of Canada.

Cheers!

It's true. Ag is big business. We took the Chamber tour.

Today Kathleen and I enjoyed the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce Agri-tour, better known as Agriculture is Big Business.  The six-hour bus tour with stops at Vedder Transportation Group, Van Belle Nursery and Ritchie Smith Feeds was well worth it.

Our mission was, according to the Chamber's marketing, to find out what makes Abbotsford the Agricultural Capital of Canada.  You may know that Abbotsford farms and agri-business create more than $1.8 billion for the city's economy and generates more than 11,300 jobs in the city.

So we got on the bus, watched a five-minute video and had the day outlined (on our bus at least) by Chamber vice-president and Agri Committee chair, Mike Welte from Farm Credit Canada.  He and Lavonne Bandsma offered wine and hat prizes for answering important trivia questions after each tour.  No, we did not snaffle the prizes.  Goldie was an organizer of the tour.

    
Our first stop was at Ritchie Smith where we donned safety equipment and were handed radios with earphones (because it can be a noisy place) so we could listen to the great things they are doing with feeds for various livestock. Just click on the link above to find out all about them.

 
According to Chamber info, Ritchie Smith, a privately owned local company, has provided high quality animal feed products to the Fraser Valley since 1968. They have a dedicated staff of some  90 employees including sales representatives, nutrition, manufacturing, delivery and general office personnel. 

Our tour guide was operations manager Leon G. Wamsteeker.

 
Here are some of the scenes we encountered along the way . . .

 
Filling the tightly-scheduled trucks with feed.

 
Internal operations.  Look at those screens.  Do you know where your Ritchie Smith truck is at this minute?

 
 
Some of the brass ... and key managers . . . the CEO is in the middle.

 
 
Checking out the high-quality feeds.

 
Time to move on to Van Belle Nursery.  We visited two locations there. What a huge operation.  We met some seasonal Mexican workers along the way.  We saw their accommodations.  Not bad!

 
 

 
Dave Van Belle was our amiable tour guide.  He loves his family business.

 
Van Belle Nursery sells millions of dollars in plants.  Costco is one of their big customers.

 
Ready for shipping ...

 
Bill Van Belle (at right) started this business with his wife in 1973. It is a wonderful success story. Ask him about it some time. The business began with just 10 acres of bare fields and a dream. Today, Van Belle Nursery includes growing space totalling 80 acres on three sites with customers across North America and a staff of growers, a sales team, and an office of leaders.

 
The sign shows you the last stop, Vedder Transportation Group.  Again click on the link above to see their story.  We had a wonderful lunch and tour here and listened to a speech by Richard Bullock, chair of the provincial Agriculture Land Commission (ALC). His job is to protect ag lands.

 
Mike Welte helps with the megaphone . . . we are looking at the Vedder Transportation Group rail division. The company operates a diverse fleet of 300 tractors and more than 800 semi trailers, employing hundreds of people.  The company serves as a liquid and dry bulk distribution partner to the world's leading food products manufacturers. This includes transporting more than one million litres of raw milk every day, 365 days a year, from local dairy farms to the processing plants.

 
Look into the Vedder tour crowd.  There's former B.C. agriculture minister John van Dongen (in the blue shirt)  He is doing a terrific job as Abbotsford South MLA.

 
Goldie and Lavonne from the Chamber make sure they have a teriific picture with a cherished member of the agri tour.

 
After our delicious catered chicken and salmon lunch at Vedder Transport, we listened to the passionate speech by ALC chair Richard Bullock about his job of dealing with thousands of applications to take land out of the agricultural land reserve ... not just in the Valley, but up north, too.  He said the Chamber's agricultural statement is bang-on. 

Bullock is a Kelowna orchardist and managing director of a large Okanagan orchard and agri-tourism operation.

He is active in industry organizations and has served as president of the BC Fruit Growers' Association, BC Tree Fruits Ltd., and Sun-Rype Products Ltd., and as director of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. He is a former member of the British Columbia Marketing Board and the past chair of the British Columbia Farm Industry Review Board.

It was a great day of learning ... see you on next year's Chamber agricultural tour.  Yes, it is big business in Abbotsford.  The places we visited today were just the tip of the iceberg . . . so much more to see and enjoy.

Cheers.

 

Destructive night becomes a good day through restorative justice

 

Look up, and who do you see?  With friends like Laurie Shopland, Diane Delves and Tony deWaal, how can anyone go wrong in Abbotsford?

 

Read the press release below to see what I'm talking about.

 

* * * * *

 Offenders repay $7,000; Canuck Place receives donaton

Quantum Properties, Abbotsford Restorative Justice
Partner After Building Vandalized

 

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – A night of drinking, a dangerous rooftop game of Twister, and a costly vandalism spree that could have ended tragically for four young adults at an Abbotsford construction site has an unexpected end to it a year later.

Because of a mediation process involving Quantum Properties president and CEO Diane Delves, Abbotsford Restorative Justice and Advocacy Association (ARJAA), and the four offenders, Canuck Place is now the recipient of a $7,000 donation.

Tony deWaal, ARJAA executive director, said provincial court costs for each of the offenders would have been $5,000, but after the four were apprehended when a security guard witnessed them exiting the construction site, the police referred the case to ARJAA, an organization that brings victims and offenders together for healing and restitution.

“I’m impressed a busy business person like Diane Delves was willing to invest the time in these young adults, giving them an opportunity to repair the harm that was done,” said deWaal.

 DeWaal said pre-mediation meetings were first conducted with Delves and the offenders to educate them about the process and to ensure no further harm was experienced.  This case was one of 161 handled by ARJAA last year, 98 referred by police and 63 from local schools.

As a result of the successful meeting between Delves and the young adults, the offenders agreed to repay the $7,000 cost of repairing the damage caused at the Quantum project and to write a research paper on the value of Canuck Place Children's Hospice.  Delves decided that the $7,000 restitution would be donated to charity.

“I felt that encouraging these young people to learn about children with life limiting illnesses would give them a better appreciation of their own lives.  They are essentially good people who just made an extremely bad choice. As they took responsibility for their actions and were keen on making amends, I wanted to encourage them to be a positive influence in the community.” said Delves.

Laurie Shopland, campaign manager for Canuck Place, said Delves and ARJAA turned a unique situation into a positive one, resulting in a wonderful outcome for Canuck Place.   “We are so thankful for Diane’s continued support.  What a great story!”

Already Delves has committed a significant donation to Canuck Place resulting in the Great Room at the new facility being named after Quantum Properties.

Delves said the ARJAA experience showed everyone involved the power of respect and healing after offenders make bad decisions.  “The program helps restore relationships, repair harm and rebuild community.”

Canuck Place Children’s Hospice provides specialized pediatric palliative care to more than 400 children and families across B.C. each year. The $10 million, 10-bed Abbotsford facility will feature five family suites. 

 

 
Of course, the anatomy of a cheque presentation can be an interesting study when so many media are involved, from Vancouver and Fraser Valley radio stations, online publications and bloggers, to the local and ethnic newspapers in Abbotsford and Vancouver.  Every media needs something a little different. In the picture above, the wind started howling.

 

My good-hearted trio posed patiently early one morning on the grounds of Quantum Properties.

 

 
Some media prefer no cheque, so we made sure the images, like the one below, are available.  At the same time we can tweet them out or post on Facebook to tease to our announcement.  We can ask a question like: Why are these three people so friendly today?  It's not a good idea to let the cat out of the bag if the media haven't had an opportunity to be "first" with your story. 

 

 
You may know that Diane's company is creating Mahogany at Mill Lake, the tallest building in Abbotsford at 26 storeys.  It will also be the tallest high-rise between Surrey and Calgary and should be complete in another few years.

 

While waiting for the crew to assemble for the restorative justice/Canuck Place photos above, the image and model below of what's in store at the corner of Bevan Avenue and Gladwin Street in Abbotsford caught my eye.

 

 
Above is the model of the high-rise and low-rise structures and open green spaces of Mahogany.

Below is an artist's rendering of the plaza leading to the high-rise's grand lobby.  Impressive.

 

 

Thanks Diane, Laurie and Tony for bearing with me the other day.  And thanks Diane for deciding the outcome of a bad night for four young adults.  Like you said, they are good kids who made a bad decision.  By avoiding the courts, the four young people do not have criminal records and had an opportunity to understand the importance of Abbotsford Canuck Place Children's Hospice.

 

Thanks for sharing your story. Cheers.

 

 

 

 

 

Taking the Lede with $2.5 million namesake donation

 

As of today,  Abbotsford Canuck Place raised $9.8 million towards its second-phase target of $13 million for its children's hospice.

Making the news even sweeter, Dave Lede added $2.5 million from his family charitable foundation.

Now the 30,000-square-foot children's hospice I've been talking about in my last two blogs will be called the Abbotsford Canuck Place Dave Lede House.

 
I met Dave Lede and his son Richard (above) at the Canuck Place campaign launch this morning at the west end of the Campus of Care site (at the hole where the hospice will be built).  Both guys are remarkably humble and wonderful to talk to. Dave heads the Ledcor Group of Companies which is building Canuck Place in Abbotsford.

 
More than 100 people attending the announcement, some of the most generous in the community, were thrilled with Dave Lede's donation (as Canuck Place communications and marketing director Thomas Marshall directed traffic for the media).  Canuck Place enthusiasts may recognize hospice board chair John Rose (far left) and CEO Filomena Nalewajek.

 
Abbotsford Mayor George Peary shared his delight with the audience and even bowed deeply like a Judo master in honour of Dave's incredible generosity.

 
It took a lot of work to plan the on-location announcement that included tours of the site where Canuck Place will be nestled among mature trees.

 
More signage was unveiled . . .

 
More pictures were snapped . . .

The crowd listened patiently ... then dispersed.

 

Fundraising is just beginning publicly for Abbotsford Canuck Place.

The fun continues ... and social media rock stars like Kristi Ferguson, Caree Bray, Danielle Knowles, Teri-Lyn Conrad and their hard-working Fraser Valley Twestival crew are planning an event at Langley Cascades Casino on Thursday, March 24.

Click here for all the details and to buy tickets.  A podcast interview on the event can be heard here.  They will tell you in their own words what spectacular Twestival food and entertainment is on tap.

Cheers.

 

C-c-c-cold day on Eagle Mountain: Warm Canuck Place hearts prevail

 
 

Yes, I remember it well.  Chattering teeth, frozen fingers, chilling winds and warm hearts.

It was a c-c-c-cold day in Abbotsford on February 23 on Eagle Mountain, but the warmth of genuine generosity finally won out as the Abbotsford Canuck Place Children's Hospice charity home at Eagle Estates was unveiled for the media.

That morning an 18-year-old temperature record of -7.3 degrees Celsius was broken with the new -9.3 mark, according to Environment Canada.

I remember Canuck Place marketing and communications coordinator Thomas Marshall quickly hopping into my warm Maxima GLE before the official ceremonies began. He was shivering and just shaking his head.  It must have been the coldest mountain-top press event he'd ever been to.

But as the newspaper, radio and TV media,  Abbotsford Mayor George Peary and the Canuck Place entourage (including CEO Filomena Nalewajek, communications/development guru Michele Cadario, and Canuck Place hospice board chair John Rose) arrived and braved the chills, the warmth began to build.

 
 

Donator Ken Voth (above left) and John Rose (right) just joked about the conditions.

And Abbotsford's city manager Frank Pizzuto smiled politely at the frozen visitors.

Many of the Canuck Place people, like Extending Our Reach campaign co-chair John Newell (below left) and his wife (in the purple jacket) were more than happy to strike a pose for photographers.

 

HomeLife realtor Ken Neufeld (below right) and Ken Voth warmed their insides and fingers with hot coffee.

 

It was so cold and windy that the coverings for the Canuck Place signs that were supposed to be unveiled for the media launch were removed ahead of time to avoid danger.  The signage clearly stated that the home was donated by the Ken Voth Family Trust and Joseph Segal Family Foundation. 

Media was eager to brave the elements to get their stories and photos, including Abbotsford social media leader Owen Greaves (up front with his camera phone).

 

The official press packages were distributed among the media members.  The release said the following:

CANUCK PLACE CHARITY HOME OFFERS SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL BOOST

 Proceeds from sale of new Eagle Estates home committed to hospice Extending Our Reach campaign

 ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – Net proceeds from the sale of a luxury home from one of the most prestigious addresses in Abbotsford will significantly help Abbotsford Canuck Place Children’s Hospice reach its goal. 

Long-time Fraser Valley resident and developer Ken Voth of Voth Bros. Developments Ltd.  and Joe Segal of Kirkwood Capital Corporation are partnering in the donation of a stunning 3,494-square-foot Eagle Estates home located at 35623 Eagle View Place on Eagle Mountain.

 Voth said Canuck Place offers enormous benefits to Fraser Valley families who need compassionate care.

 “I’m impressed by the fact the 30,000-square-foot children’s hospice will double the capacity of the Vancouver house,” said Voth, adding that the new 10-bed, five family suite facility now under construction next to Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre will ease the pressures for those who live in the Fraser Health region and require important pediatric palliative services.

 Canuck Place CEO Filomena Nalewajek expressed her sincere appreciation to Ken, Joe and the project realtor, trades and suppliers contributing their services to drive down the cost of the house.

 “It’s wonderful news for Canuck Place. We are so appreciative of this significant and imaginative donation to our campaign,” said Nalewajek. "We are grateful for the generosity of all those involved, and most especially for leadership and support that Ken has demonstrated towards this project.  He has played an instrumental role from its inception." 

The buyer of the home will enjoy unobstructed mountain views and a quiet neighbourhood surrounded by natural greenery, parks and walking trails.  The home’s stylish interior features seven-inch crown mouldings, painted raised panel doors, high-efficiency heating, granite countertops and custom-built maple cabinets.

 John Rose, Canuck Place hospice board chair, said the Canuck Place Charity Home shows the creativity and generosity of people like Voth, Segal and their respective companies to make a difference in the community and in the lives of a growing number of families who need the care offered by Canuck Place.

 Services include 24/7 physician and nursing support and consultation, end-of-life care, pain and symptom management, respite care, school, music and play therapy, recreation opportunities and counseling.

 Canuck Place is part of the Campus of Care project being developed on Marshall Road, next to Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre. The campus includes Abbotsford Hospice Society's adult hospice and resource centre, and Matthew’s House, a long-term respite facility for children with chronic illnesses.

After the formalities were over and Canuck Place CEO Filomena Nalewajek and Mayor George Peary shared their compelling speeches, the poses were organized, and everyone went away smiling.

 
 

 Cheers (and don't forget Abbotsford Canuck Place Children's Hospice as it launches its public campaign at the Campus of Care construction site).

 

Mahogany at Mill Lake, Abbotsford Canuck Place: Wow!

 

Diane Delves is a trend setter in Abbotsford.  The CEO and president of Quantum Properties, the developer of the 26-storey Mahogany at Mill Lake, doesn't spend a lot of time in the spotlight, but when she does something, heads turn.

At last night's Abbotsford Canuck Place announcement,  Mayor George Peary told me Delves is setting the standard for highrise development in the community, and the $272,000 she committed to the children's hospice shows her incredible generosity.

No wonder George started to get emotional while he spoke to his audience at The Viewpoint yesterday.

My job was a simple one.  I played the role of master of ceremonies and made sure the media was well connected and well informed.  We kept officialdom to a minimum and allowed the many guests to do what they do best ... socialize, sip wine and enjoy delicious appetizers.  

Click Media Works enjoyed working with Delves and her professional Quantum Properties crew these past few months.  People like Bev Hasenpflug (VP of Design), Lisa Lowry (marketing manager) and Kristofer Hansen (senior VP and CFO) made sharing the Quantum boardroom an experience we will never forget.

Working from a laptop on the lanai of a forest house on the Big Island of Hawaii or a Seattle hotel room was always a source of entertainment for all of us involved in Mahogany's Canuck Place project.

You should see the suite at The Viewpoint put together by Bev.  You get 15th floor views from the windows and experience efficiency in how well a space can be put together.

 

Laurie Shopland, the Canuck Place campaign manager; Filomena Nalewajek, Canuck Place CEO; Diane Delves and Debbie Lehmann, executive director of the Abbotsford Hospice Society shared a few smiles with us.  Also there was Jay Teichroeb from the City, Councillors John Smith and Dave Loewen, and MLA John van Dongen.  Eugene Klassen from Matthew's House (another part of the Campus of Care) also enjoyed the event.

 

Yes, there was the great cheque presentation with Quantum senior management and Filomena . . .

 

The Viewpoint presentation centre was put together beautifully and on time.

 
Thank-you's were in order . . .

 

 The press release read lke this:

A commitment to provide $1,000 from the sale of each of 272 units at the Mahogany at Mill Lake development means Abbotsford’s future tallest building will have its stamp on the Great Room at the new 30,000-square-foot Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.

Diane Delves, president and CEO of Quantum Properties, the developer of Mahogany, said Canuck Place is “an important addition to our growing city and region. The compassionate care that they provide will be a huge benefit to Fraser Valley families.”

 Abbotsford’s $10 million Canuck Place Children’s Hospice essentially doubles the capacity of the Vancouver house. It is being built near Abbotsford Regional Hospital on Marshall Road as part of a cluster of three hospice facilities called Campus of Care.

“We encouraged Canuck Place to build in Abbotsford when we first heard of their intention for a second facility. We believe the generosity of Abbotsford residents will assist in making this vision a reality,” said Delves.

 Details of the new relationship forged between Mahogany at Mill Lake and Canuck Place were announced at a special wine and cheese social at The Viewpoint, Mahogany’s newly completed presentation centre.

 Canuck Place CEO Filomena Nalewajek expressed her sincere gratitude to Delves and the Quantum Properties Group of Companies for their wonderful support of Canuck Place.

“We are so appreciative of this significant donation towards building the Great Room at our Abbotsford hospice – an inviting, multi-functional gathering space that will be used by the children and families who visit the hospice, along with Canuck Place volunteers and staff,” said Nalewajek.

 Abbotsford Canuck Place, now under construction, is just down the street from the Mahogany at Mill Lake project site at the corner of Gladwin Road and Bevan Avenue.

The Canuck Place Great Room sponsored by Mahogany will have enough space for up to 30 people. It will be welcoming and home-like, with couches, cushions, and upholstered chairs.

 In the evenings, the Great Room will be a respite for individuals or groups wanting to find a quiet place to read or relax.

 Once a week the Great Room will be used for Clinical Rounds, important meetings with care team members from every area of the hospice, joining the doctors and nurses to review the care needs of the children currently admitted to the hospice, those recently discharged, and those to be admitted next.

 
Refreshments were consumed.  People talked about the great promise of Canuck Place and the Mahogany at Mill Lake, and we all left with a little chocolate as a reminder of our visit.

 

Cheers.

Celebrating Christine Wiebe: Abbotsford's volunteer machine

 
 Jane Cooper (left) holds newly dedicated volunteer award named
in Christine Wiebe's (right) honour

When Christine Wiebe's adult son starting reading almost seven pages of her volunteer resume tonight, I wondered if anyone will ever be able to repeat her record.

If they even come close to it, they will likely be the recipient of a new Volunteer Abbotsford Award that will have Christine's name on it.  Jane  Cooper, executive director of the organization, was proud to make the announcement tonight at the "Celebrating Christine" event at The Reach Gallery Museum.

 
I've known Christine for some 28 years.  I even attended her wedding when she married Chuck Wiebe so many moons ago.

She was the executive assistant to such Abbotsford political titans as MLAs Bill Ritchie and Peter Dueck before she moved full-time into the world of volunteerism, playing key roles with Expo 86 and Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, the Spirit of B.C. and the 2010 Olympics.

 
Her friends, family members and colleagues watched an amazing PowerPoint presentation on the wall of The Reach where it was revealed she has touched the lives of some 1.3 million people, give or take one or two.

What else has she done over the past 35 years? Do you have a couple of hours?

She focused her energies on MSA Museum, Abbotsford International Airshow,  the 1995 Western Canada Summer Games in Abbotsford, the Disability Games, the Crystal Gala committee, and Heritage Fair.

 
She played a key role in the Clayburn Church restoration project, helped start Volunteer Abbotsford . . . and the lists goes on.

Christine said if people begin volunteering when they are young, "they grow with the community and form a good, strong base for that community.  There is a great deal of pride and satisfaction in being out in the community, mixing with the people doing your job and meeting needs within a community." 

At the moment Christine is the lead volunteer for the remarkable new Bakerview EcoDairy in Abbotsford.

It is said that her dedication, passion and commitment to Abbotsford is inspiring and contagious.  I know that is true.

So who came to help her celebrate tonight?  Let's take a look.

 
University of the Fraser Valley president Mark Evered, Volunteer Abbotsford president Doug Edgar and businessman Jati Sidhu were there.

 
Ron Price (centre), president and CEO of Abbotsford Airshow Society, came to wish Christine all the best.

 
Mark Taylor, the city's manager of parks, recreation and culture, posed with long-time news photographer John Morrow at Christine's celebration.

 

 Former Abbotsford mayor George Ferguson and his wife, Rea, attended.

 
Despite the resignation of Premier Gordon Campbell earlier in the day, Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen sang Christine's praises.

 
And of course John Morrow had to have one last pose with my wife, Kathleen, who thinks the world of Christine.  "She's one of a kind!"

If you want to be a stellar volunteer, consider this summit on Nov. 19 at the Ramada Plaza and Conference centre.

The world needs more people like Christine Wiebe.

Cheers.

Here's a little country in the city: EcoDairy, Farm and Country Market

 

They say Abbotsford is the City in the Country.  Today at Bakerview EcoDairy and Nutrifoods Market on Sumas Way, Kathleen and I experienced a whole lot of country as we worked our way through the huge crowds to see what happens when you mix this new facility with the city's weekly Farm and Country Market.

It was very busy, but highly organized.  With an annual Christian school auction underway and Lepp Farm Market holding a special Fall Tasting event, it was surprising how many people left the comforts of their home to enjoy so many Abbotsford events in the warmth of the October sunshine.

 

Young fiddlers' sweet, toe-tapping tunes helped fill the air with excitement as we met so many friends, including marketing guru Tanya Curtis from the NutrivaGroup which oversees the EcoDairy and Abbotsford School Trustee Shirley Wilson (below). My wife, Kathleen, is squeezed in the middle.

 
Vintage vehicle displays, rides in a buggy pulled by Friesian horses, pony rides, cotton candy sales, and the full offering of the farmers market kept patrons amused on the 89-acre site featuring the first demonstration farm of its kind in Canada.

 
  
The Nutrifoods grocery store on the site sells the farm's unique Vitala milk and eggs products.

 
 
 
Clothing, jewelry, metal cutouts, honey, vegetables, and all those wonderful goods that farmers markets are known to carry were there.

 
Tall people, short people and costumed characters filled the parking lot.

 

I was particularly pleased to meet Jodie Jacobsen (below), sales and marketing coordinator for Tourism Abbotsford. 

 
If you haven't been to the Bakerview EcoDairy or Nutrifoods Market yet, you can explore it by clicking on http://www.ecodairy.ca/.  Some great videos are online to show you how the herd of 50 cows decides when it's time to be milked.

No matter how you look at it, today's Vintage Fair on the EcoDairy site is a stunning example of Abbotsford agri-tourism.

Cheers.