A substantial crowd showed up in Hedley on November 11th to remember the men and women who served in the military to preserve our freedoms and way of life. Wreaths were laid by members of Hedley organizations, all levels of government and various other groups. It was noted that this is an especially important year because it marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice to end WW I.
The Honour Guard was led by 2 Mounties in red serge from the Princeton detachment. A member of the Canadian armed forces, Corp. Nick Dechamps (part-time resident of Hedley), served as Parade Marshall.
As in recent years, Graham Gore, pastor of the Hedley Grace Church, was the MC. He read “In Flanders Fields”, and then read the names of the 17 young Hedley men whose names are inscribed on the local cenotaph. Thirteen of them died in WWI and four in WW II.
Local war historian, Andy English, spoke eloquently about the experiences of the Hedley men in both World Wars. He made special mention of Jack Lorenzetto who was conscripted in Feb. 1918 and Thomas Calvert, who served under Sam Steele. Jack was killed by shell fire Sept. 8, 1918 while transporting rations to his comrades on the front line. Thomas Calvert was badly wounded on the night of Nov. 2, 1918 during his battalion’s last battle of the war. He died Nov. 23, 1918, twelve days after the armistice was signed. Jack and Thomas were the last two Hedley boys to die as the result of combat in WW I.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was a rendition of “The Honour Song” by Amber Cardenas and Mya Ghostkeeper in the Okanagan language. They accompanied their singing with hand drumming.
A number of members of the Lorenzetto family came from other communities to honour the memory of Jack Lorenzetto.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, a lunch of sandwiches and desserts was served by the ladies at the Hedley Seniors’ Centre.
At sundown 10 local citizens, most from the Hedley Volunteer Fire Department, gathered at the museum. They each rang the bell 10 times for a total of 100, to mark one hundred years since the signing of the Armistice that ended WW I. Taking his turn here is Zion Nimchuk, youngest member of the fire department.
“In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row,…”
Art Power, Korean War Vet. at the Hedley cenotaph.
On November 11, when we gather at a cenotaph to honor those who fought in wars, one group of courageous combatants will likely not be mentioned or even thought of. They are the men and women who operated surreptitiously against the Nazis behind enemy lines. In Shadow Warriors of WW II, Gordon Thomas and Greg Lewis focus on the women, many of whom were parachuted at night from black, slow flying Lysander airplanes into dark fields in France. Armed only with a dagger, pistol, folding shovel, flashlight and medical kit, their assignment was to gather intelligence and create havoc in the midst of the enemy. They had to be ready to kill or be killed.
The Agents received meticulous preparation for their perilous and often lonely role. They were required to be fluent in French, including local mannerisms and colloquialisms. To reflect the dress of the area into which they were parachuted, styles were copied from French catalogues and magazines. A courier might be given a letter of condolence from a friend. This would lend credence to the explanation the agent was traveling to a funeral. With the Gestapo relentlessly searching and questioning, there could be no inconsistencies in an agent’s cover story.
Physical, mental and emotional training was equally rigorous. It included handling of Bren guns and Sten guns, leaping from fast moving trains and much more.
Operators of wireless transmitters were especially susceptible to arrest, horrific torture and death. They were instructed to transmit for no more than 20 minutes and then move on. German soldiers in vans with high powered detection equipment roamed the streets constantly, seeking transmitters. One quick witted operator narrowly avoided arrest while carrying her transmitter in a suitcase. She convinced a German soldier it was an x-ray machine.
These shadow warriors were members of Britain’s Special Operations Executive, (SOE), and America’s Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Their various networks were in constant danger of being infiltrated by the enemy. Capture usually meant torture and possibly death.
Some agents were young and single, some were wives and mothers. Operating styles and strengths varied. When the British needed the cipher code of the Hitler controlled French Vichy Regime, they called on Betty Pack. Tall and slim, with bright auburn hair and green eyes, she at times employed her beauty to seduce men who possessed information the allies wanted.
Betty Pack (findagrave.com/memorial
The ciphers were lodged in a locked room of the French embassy in Washington D.C. Only the top cipher official had access and a watchman was constantly on duty. Betty entered into a romantic liaison with an embassy official and persuaded him to help her. The official convinced the watchman to let them use a room in that area of the embassy for a night time sexual encounter. Hearing the watchman’s footsteps approaching, Betty quickly disrobed. Embarrassed, the watchman hurriedly retreated. Then, she picked the lock to the cipher room and let a safecracker in through a window. Released from prison for this, he picked the lock on the safe. The ciphers were removed, quickly taken elsewhere and copied, then returned.
Pearl Witherington ( wikipedia)
Pearl Witherington displayed decidedly different attributes and skills. Gutsy and pragmatic, she developed a force of 200 combatants and repeatedly destroyed railway and telephone lines. Blond hair tucked under her beret, she became known in the forests and farm houses as the warrior queen. She led her force in placing explosives under bridges, impeding the delivery of weapons and supplies. When she discovered a train with 60 railroad cars hauling gasoline, she called in the RAF and the fuel was bombed and utterly destroyed. On another occasion she and her force created a traffic jam of 51 trains and they were picked off by RAF bombers.
Witherington’s force grew to 2500 combatants. It was said she had the skills of a battlefield commander. The Germans became so incensed at the havoc she was creating they placed a bounty of 1 million francs on her head and sent 2000 commandos to find and destroy her. She barely escaped their attack on her headquarters but some of her members were not so fortunate.
Although there may be no crosses, poppies or wreaths for these shadow warriors, according to Thomas and Lewis, “They were soldiers, taking the fight to the enemy where he least expected it. Brave, intelligent, resourceful. They lived in the shadows, bringing light to those living in the darkness of Nazi tyranny.”
Last minute clean-up before opening of the bridge.
After 4 months of diligent effort by Derrick Bisschop and his crew, Hedley now has a brand new bridge over 20 Mile Creek on Highway 3. “We had good weather and the project progressed smoothly,” said Bisschop, General Manager and Superintendent. “The only significant delay occurred when a main girder didn’t arrive as scheduled. The semi-trailer truck carrying it rolled and the girder fell off. A number of inspections were performed to ensure its integrity had not been compromised. This set the project back 8 days.”
This 250 ton crane was used to place & remove girders for the temporary bridge.
Fortunately, the government inspector granted some grace time. Going over the time allotted for completion would have cost Derrick’s employer, Dorosh Construction, $2500. per day. To make up for as much of the lost time as possible, the crew set up powerful lights and worked well into the night.
Hedley Bridge Crew
To the extent possible, he hired local workers. The crew, left to right are Derrick Bisschop (Chilliwack), Nick Coops (Maple Ridge), Pat Gartner (Keremeos), Simon Rayner (Princeton), John Moore (Sicamous), Richard Boutet (Hedley). Zion Nimchuk (Hedley) was not working this day.
There was serious speculation by one Hedley resident the bridge construction would be overtaken by cold and snow, and would not be completed until spring. It could have happened but good weather, a lot of determination and hard work proved him wrong.
It was 7:15 a.m. October 23, 2018 and I was at the reception desk of a medical lab in Abbotsford. The receptionist surprised me when she said, “I heard about the fire in Hedley on the news this morning.” Observing my astonished expression, she said, “The Hitching Post Restaurant burned down last night.”
When Linda and I returned to Hedley later that day, we were dismayed by the blackened ruins of this once iconic restaurant. Several firefighters were still on the scene aiming streams of water at remaining hotspots. We learned the fire had erupted at about 2 a.m.
More than 12 hours later, Hedley Volunteer Firefighters, still battling hotspots at the Hitching Post fire.
The Hitching Post had been purchased 6 months earlier by Bill Carmichael and wife, Trisha Mills. It had a solid reputation for excellent meals and attracted many patrons from out of town. For Bill and Trisha, it was an exciting new venture.
Mike Galics at Hedley Country Market
In a conversation with Mike Galics at the Hedley Country Market, we learned that the fire had engulfed the building with astonishing speed. He and wife, Viktorya, live on the second floor of the Market which is located kitty-corner to the restaurant. “Viktorya was awakened by Trisha calling for help. She urged me to get up quickly and get a ladder. Trisha & Bill and their dog were trapped on the second floor where they had living quarters.”
Mike was running toward the fire with a ladder, when he passed June Fairweather running toward the firehall to set off the alarm. “As I was approaching the fire,” he said, “the huge front windows exploded and I saw a row of flames racing from the back of the building along the ceiling to the front. I started putting up the ladder, but the building was now almost fully engulfed, electrical wires overhead were popping, and there were explosions inside the building. The heat was so intense I could not hold onto the ladder, so I threw it down. You can’t imagine how fast the fire moved, unless you were there.”
Bill and Trisha were standing on the second floor at the front of the burning restaurant. “Jump!” Mike shouted. They threw their dog down and Mike caught it. Unable to see the ground 20 feet below due to heavy smoke, Bill and Trisha hesitated. “The flames were only seconds away from them. I pleaded for them to jump now!” Feeling the approaching intense heat, and trusting Mike, they abandoned their precarious perch. Bill leaped first and Trisha quickly followed.
Both suffered significant injuries. “The heat was so intense, they would not have survived if we had left them where they landed. Tim and I placed them on a blanket and dragged them away from the fire.” Neighbours brought pillows and blankets to protect them from the night air.
Mike ran to alert Ken, the occupant of the home adjacent to the restaurant. He ran to other homes, advising people to get out, and also move their vehicles. The fire generated a fierce blistering heat and, in addition to attempting to douse the flames, the Hedley Volunteer Firefighters had to protect nearby buildings. Several did sustain some damage, but it could have been a lot more serious.
Three ambulances arrived within about 28 minutes. Bill is now in the Penticton hospital and Trisha is in a Vancouver hospital. Both will require extensive medical care.
It was a grim night, but people did not just wring their hands and lament the loss. Doug Bratt of the Country Market arrived at the store and made sandwiches for firefighters, handed out chocolate bars and provided them with bottled water. Peggy Terry opened the Seniors’ Centre at 3 a.m. and prepared coffee for residents looking for a place to congregate and talk. She said, “I pulled a cake out of the fridge, and Cindy Regier brought a banana cake. We kept the Centre open until about 3:00 pm so people had a place to come to.”
Viktorya and her sister Julie have already started a facebook go fundme account, https://www.gofundme.com/the-hitching-post-fire to help Bill and Trisha with immediate expenses. There are also plans being made for a dinner and dance fundraiser in mid November.
It’s a serious setback for Bill and Trisha. It will be important that as a community we let them know they do not have to walk this path alone.
I have long been curious about the photos on the wall of my Abbotsford dentist’s reception area. The subjects are primarily African or Hispanic. Last week in a conversation in our home, I asked Dr. Sam Edworthy to tell me about them.
One of the photos on Dr. Sam’s office wall.
A modest man, he’s quite comfortable being addressed as “Sam” by both staff and patients. “In 2000,” he said, “a dentist told me the Northview Community Church was putting together a team to provide desperately needed services in a Mexican village. It sounded interesting so I accepted his invitation to go. It was a fulfilling 2 weeks and since then I’ve done dentistry in a number of countries.”
“I’ve returned to Mexico about 12 times,” he said in response to my prodding. “Mostly under the auspices of the Abbotsford Vineyard Church. Presently they are establishing a permanent dentistry clinic there so dentists can go for one or more weeks and everything is ready. A lot of our work there has been with single moms.”
On several trips to Ghana, a local pastor expressed an urgent desire for ongoing dental services in his area. Sam trained him in basic dental procedures and the sponsoring church group provided supplies and equipment so he could carry on.
Sam feels it is important that others, including his family, discover the sense of fulfillment he experiences on mission trips. “When my son James was 14 I took him along on a trip to Nepal,” he said. “I wanted him to interact with people of another culture. I also wanted him to understand how fortunate we are in Canada and that we really should help people who have so little.”
Haitian children benefited from Dr. Sam’s dental work in their country.
Earlier this year Amanda, his adult daughter, accompanied him to Mexico. Apparently she caught his sense of responsibility for serving people who receive little assistance from their government. This November she wants to go with him to Haiti, a country universally known for rampant poverty, dismal living conditions and unbridled corruption. Amanda, who has a PhD in science, is quite willing to help with dentistry.
Sometimes Sam takes along one or more clinical staff. They pay a portion of their expenses which include air fare, travel in the country, meals, accommodation, and occasionally security. When necessary, he subsidizes their participation. He pays for all his personal expenses, brings along dentistry supplies (some are provided by dental companies), plus his own compressor and dentistry unit.
For most of his assistants, this is an extraordinarily positive experience. “There was one early exception,” he noted. “A dental assistant came back with tales of flies, obnoxious odours, overwhelming heat, primitive washroom conditions and more.”
This type of dentistry requires mental and emotional adjustments. Some villages are remote, accessible only by traversing treacherous terrain. Invariably, working and living conditions are primitive.
“In one village we go to, we have to dam up the creek so we can shave and wash up at the end of the day. It’s hot and we get pretty sweaty. Also, we have to use non-digital equipment. Up to date equipment is more sensitive to impurities in the water and won’t function. When equipment breaks down, we have to fix it. If the village doesn’t have electricity, we bring a generator and gas. The environment we work in frequently isn’t very sterile.”
Adverse circumstances seem not to faze him. “Almost anything we do in our Abbotsford office, we can do there,” he said. “We regularly do root canals and the results have been very satisfactory.” He noted that at the completion of any procedure, the patient often expects to be given a pill. “For them it’s confirmation they have received medical attention.”
Intrigued by the willingness to leave behind his spotless, well equipped office to work where challenges abound, I asked what motivates him. “We go as a team,” he said. “Some of the members are young and they bring excitement. It’s a good feeling to be part of something important.”
He paused, then said, “the people are grateful for what we do. In one village they brought us the straw mattresses, bed bugs and all, from their own homes. They wanted to give something in return, even though this meant sleeping on a dirt floor. We go into their homes and become friends. What we do gives people hope. It’s a good feeling to help people who have so little.”
The pictures on Sam’s wall represent an inspiring story.
Are the Hedley Museum ladies discussing a last minute detail in the kitchen?
The 100 tickets to the Hedley Museum’s annual Harvest dinner were again eagerly snapped up by people anticipating a great meal. Held at the local Seniors’ Centre last Friday evening, the event attracted locals and a number of out of towners. One contingent from Keremeos arrived well before the doors opened. They seemed not to mind waiting outside. The turkeys, hams, mashed potatoes, gravy, desserts, and much more were mostly prepared by very willing Hedley ladies and several men. Five portable steam tables were supplied by the Nickel Plate Restaurant. Approximately a dozen ladies were on hand attending to last minute details and serving the food. The generous helpings surprised some guests. Definitely a night for a long walk to burn off an abundance of calories after the meal.
It was a happy crowd at the Hedley Museum Harvest dinner.
Doukhobor Choir at Princeton Traditional Music Fesitval, Elsie Campbell (far right)
For attendees at the Princeton Traditional Music Festival this summer, the performance of the Doukhobor choir was a “wow” experience. Singing in their native Russian and also English, without instrumental accompaniment, their exquisite harmony calmed and uplifted our spirits.
I called the choir director, Elsie Campbell at her home in Castlegar several days later. She said, “I can’t even read music, but I hear any little mistake.” In her early 70’s and walking with a cane, she’s committed to the preservation of Doukhobor music. “I at times conduct 4 different choirs,” she said, “I don’t want our music to die. I want it to convey the importance of striving for peace, justice, hope, the environment and freedom for all.” She has travelled extensively with Doukhobor choirs, including 3 visits to Russia.
Doukhobor Choir members Loretta & Evelyn.
Having heard their music, I wanted to know more about them. Writing on the USCC Doukhobors’ website, D.E. (Jim) Popoff explains the name Doukhobor came from Archbishop Ambrosius of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1785. Wanting to identify a group of peasants as heretics, he referred to them as “Doukhobortsi”, meaning spirit wrestlers. He intended this as derogatory, suggesting they were struggling against the Holy Spirit. The Doukhobors responded, “we are struggling with and for the Spirit of God.” They rejected the church’s practise of worshiping icons.
Like my own Mennonite forbears, late in the 19th century Doukhobors began experiencing increasing pressures to conform and to serve in the military. Led by their leader Peter V. Verigin, in 1895 they burned their weapons and refused military service. Repression followed and Verigin arranged for emigration to Canada, first to Saskatchewan and then in 1908-1912 to the Boundary Kootenay area.
In Russia they had lived communally, and for a time they continued this practice with all land being registered under the name of Peter Verigin. They developed successful commercial enterprises, producing fruits and vegetables, jams, jellies and honey. When Verigin was killed in a rail car bombing in 1924, and the Stock Market crashed in 1929, their way of life was severely disrupted. They had borrowed from the banks for land purchases and development, and could no longer make the payments. It was the end of their communal way of life.
In spite of economic and societal pressures, they clung tenaciously to their beliefs, practises and culture. This effort to maintain traditional ways continues today. “Our schools are in English,” Elsie said. “The children are also taught Russian. Borscht, vereneki (pyrogies), potato salad and other traditional dishes are still prepared. We don’t have the Bible but many of our teachings and beliefs come from the Bible. Bread, salt, and water are important symbols in our faith. They represent hospitality.” In the realm of spiritual beliefs, Doukhobors differ from some Protestant and Catholic teachings. For example, they don’t accept the miracles of Jesus.
According to Popoff, “In struggling for a better life, they determined to use only the spiritual power of love, rather than any form of violence or coercion.” Their motto was (and still is), “Toil and peaceful life.” When a radical splinter group, The Sons of Freedom, created a measure of chaos with such practises as nudity and arson in the 1950’s, the majority of Doukhobors did not follow.
Early in the last century, the world around them was already entering a time of rapid transition. Larger centres offered a glittering array of exciting enticements. Societal values, attitudes and beliefs were changing. For many minority religious and ethnic groups, these societal trends continue to be a challenge today.
Barry Verigin, co-editor of ISKRA, Voice of the Doukhobors, told me, “Encouraging our youth is an issue we take seriously. Our Union of Youth organization sponsors a number of events, including a very popular Youth Festival each May long weekend.”
The 2nd leader of the Doukhobors in Canada, Peter Petrovitch Verigin, counselled the youth to acquire all the positive, constructive aspects of knowledge and skills which were offered through formal education, while at the same time retaining their valuable heritage. “The combination of the best influences from these two sources,” he said, “will prepare you for a life as truly responsible citizens of the world.”
If their current executive director, John J. Verigin, and other Doukhobors like Elsie Campbell are able to successfully transmit their values and beliefs to their youth, the next generation of leaders will be well prepared to make a valuable contribution to Canadian society.
When Linda and I passed a large bus in Manning Park last week, I noticed the words “RescueCambodia.org emblazoned on its side. Curiosity immediately captured my mind and I hoped it would stop at the park lodge. I had questions.
Twenty minutes later we emerged from the lodge and I saw the bus, parked about 50 steps from our car. With camera in hand. I asked a distinguished appearing man for permission to take a few pictures. He agreed readily and several school age young people came out of the bus, apparently as curious about Linda and me as we were about them. As I began snapping pictures, others joined them.
Then a small elderly woman approached. She was introduced as Marie Ens, founder of Rescue Cambodia. We learned they were on a fund raising tour across Canada and the youths would be performing Cambodian dances at the Penticton Alliance church the next evening.
Marie Ens, one of the founders of Rescue Cambodia
Wanting to know more, we drove to Penticton the following afternoon hoping Marie would have time for us. The conversation with her was an adventure. Her voice, facial expressions and body demeanor exuded unreserved resolve and passion. Nearly 84, the excitement for her mission has not abated. “My husband Norm and I served as missionaries in Cambodia many years,” she told us. “We were evacuated several times due to political and military crises, once when the merciless Khmer Rouge were advancing. We were always eager to come back. After Norm passed away, I was urged to return to Canada at age 66. I still wanted to live and serve in Cambodia though, so I went back. I was widowed, with no one supporting me, and only my pension to live on.”
Undaunted, she joined with 3 Cambodians and a missionary couple to start a center for families coping with HIV. Their 16 thatch and brick dwellings quickly filled. “With no anti-retroviral drugs available, the parents soon passed away leaving their precious children in our care.”
In 2003 they started an NGO and registered it with the Cambodian government. 10 homes were built, each with space for 10 orphans. When these were filled, they built another 10 homes.
They now operate 3 orphanages, one of which is the largest in Cambodia. “We have a school, medical clinic, meeting hall, library and pre-school. We also opened an office, built granny and staff housing, planted a large garden, and began raising chickens, ducks and rabbits.”
When students graduate from the school program, they can go to university. Rescue Cambodia pays their tuition and provides free accommodation in their House of New Dreams.
Leaning forward, Marie said with conviction, “The entire Rescue Cambodia operation is run by Cambodians. The teachers are Cambodian and the children are cared for by Cambodian mothers. The food is Cambodian. The children live like other children. We want their Cambodian identity to be firmly established in their hearts and minds. The Director, Sokthon Chhat is Cambodian. I’m an advisor.”
A student at Rescue Cambodia.
The government has taken note of the work being done by Rescue Cambodia and appreciates the emphasis on the country’s culture. The Prime Minister’s wife has visited several times, initially in her role as head of the Cambodian Red Cross. On one such visit Marie said to her, “I have a deep desire to become a Cambodian citizen.” The response was enthusiastic. “Anyone who has lived in our country as long as you deserves to be a citizen.”
Usually citizenship applications take considerable time and are costly. Marie received hers in a few days at no cost. It was signed by the king. On another visit the PM’s wife presented Marie with a medal of great distinction. “I had tears in my eyes,” Marie said. “She kissed me on both cheeks.”
The government evidently values what the organization is doing. It has provided some financial and other types of support. “They enlarged our water reservoir and cemented it,” Marie said. “They have also paved our long driveway.” When the Prime Minister showed up to see what was being done, Marie said, “in some countries we couldn’t do what we do here. We couldn’t speak of Jesus. But, this is Cambodia.” “Yes,” he responded. “This is Cambodia. We have freedom of religion.”
Rescue Cambodia demonstrates what is possible when individuals boldly commit to making a positive difference.
The e-mail from Trudy Beyak of Abbotsford five months ago almost stopped the beating of my heart. “Please pray for Mia and Liam, my two precious grandchildren,” she wrote. “They have been abducted from Abbotsford and are being held captive in the Middle East by their father. They have lived in Abbotsford with my daughter Shelley since Liam was 4 months. This is the only home these 2 beautiful children know.”
The International Child Abduction Guidebook states, “Every year, hundreds of Canadian children are wrongfully taken from Canada, or held in another country by abducting parents.” The U.S. State Department views parental abductions as a disturbing and growing issue. It estimates that annually approximately 1,000 children are abducted or wrongfully retained from the U.S.
Often the seeds of an abduction are sown quite innocently when a young woman is traveling or working abroad. A retired member of a Canadian embassy in Africa said, “We received numerous requests for help from women whose children had been abducted. We could do little for them. Canadian women are overly trusting in these situations. They have no understanding of how heartbreaking the future may be.”
Shelley Beyak was teaching English in Egypt and visited Beirut for a few days. In a bar, she was approached by Wissam. He was smart, well educated and persuasive. Trudy feels he targeted Shelley and charmed her. He told her he planned to emigrate to Canada. The romance blossomed and they were married in 2007. They had 2 children, Mia and Liam, and moved to Canada in 2010.
The marriage began to unravel and Wissam returned to Lebanon for about 18 months. He sent her a “Claim and Inmate” document, demanding she return to Lebanon and obey her husband. She declined, understanding that in Lebanon she would lose control of her life and her children.
Wissam returned to Canada and began a series of litigations against her. This drained her finances and when he applied to a judge for permission to obtain passports for the children, she had no further funds to hire a lawyer. In court, Wissam said “I have a home here and a job. I want my kids to grow up here. I plan to stay in Canada.”
Concerned he would remove the children to Lebanon, Shelley objected. In an interview with the Abbotsford News, she said, “I explained my concern and begged the judge not to grant the application. The judge raked me over the coals and granted Wissam permission to apply for passports and take the children abroad.”
It seems some judges have little comprehension of how prevalent child abduction has become. An American mother asked a judge not to allow her Lebanese husband to take their 3 children out of country. The 2 younger children said, “We’re scared daddy is going to take us to Lebanon, and we’ll never come back.”
Her pleas were dismissed and her children were abducted to Lebanon. When the U.S. Consulate did a welfare check on them recently, their Lebanese grandfather said the 2 girls, ages 13 and 14, were nearly old enough to be married. This opinion is indicative of the disturbing circumstances that may engulf abducted children.
Retrieving children from Lebanon is particularly difficult because the government has not signed the Hague Convention. Also, Lebanon doesn’t recognize parental kidnapping as a crime. Wissam has not permitted Canada’s Global Affairs to talk with the children.
Now, belatedly, the courts have stripped him of all parental rights and there is an international warrant for his arrest. The warrant can be executed only if he leaves Lebanon.
Some may fault Shelley and other women for exposing themselves to this risk. But they were young, at an age when we tend to be optimistic and trusting. The possibility her children will be abducted to a foreign country isn’t likely to occur to a woman when she is in love.
Shelley has already spent about $40,000 in legal fees and expects further costs of at least $150,000. A gofundme account (https://www.gofundme.com/5ejxr68) has been opened on her behalf. If she is to ever see Mia and Liam again, she really does need us to contribute. A brief note to the Prime Minister may also help. It might be as simple as “please bring Mia and Liam back to Canada from Lebanon.”
Check out youtube, Please Bring Mia & Liam Home. Let’s help Shelley get her children back.
Mary grew up in a small village in China. She and her husband continue to make healthy food choices reflective of her village upbringing. Mary came to Canada in July 2013 and now resides in Hedley.
Comedian Woody Allen’s thoughts on length of life likely reflect the thinking of many Canadians. He said, “I don’t want to attain immortality through my work. I want to attain it through not dying.” Medical science has made impressive strides in granting us additional years, but this progress has often not been accompanied by quality of life. The people of Longevity Village, a remote community in South West China, have gained considerable insight into both length of life and good health.
In The Longevity Plan, Dr. John Day, an American cardiologist, tells of visiting this village in the hope of discovering the secret of their robust health and long lives. He found in a population of 500 there were 7 centenarians, a record unmatched anywhere in the world.
“Before going to China, I had a hectic schedule of consultations, surgeries, lectures in universities and hospitals. There was little time for healthy dining. At the beginning of each day I grabbed a diet coke and a bagel in the hospital cafeteria. I was too busy to give sufficient attention to the fact I was over weight and had nagging health issues. It was my hope that by going to this village, I could find help for myself and my patients.”
In Longevity Village he met Washen, age 114, the most senior of the villagers. “He moved with agility and still worked in the field regularly,” Dr. Day notes. “ After observing the centenarians and asking them many questions, I concluded that diet was a key factor contributing to their longevity.”
“They eat no refined sugar,” Dr. Day writes, “and no processed foods. They do eat nuts, seeds, corn, grains (never refined), legumes, fruits, vegetables, and a little meat, including fish. Another staple is longevity soup, made with hemp seeds, pumpkin vines and leaves, and water.”
I thought of the food my Mennonite mother placed on the table when I was a kid. Pyrogies, fried farmer’s sausage, mashed potatoes with gravy, home made white buns and noodle soup, plus desserts. All from her kitchen. From that menu I graduated to McDonalds and Big Macs, fries and chocolate milk shakes. Add to this list Linda’s cookies, against which I have little resistance. Since childhood I’ve been programmed to enjoy food Dr. Day asserts is detrimental to my health.
He explains why he believes the Standard American Diet (SAD) doesn’t work for anyone. “Processed foods and fast foods are high in sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, chemicals and preservatives. They have been manipulated by food scientists to activate the reward centres in our brains.”
He explains further that “because seemingly innocent foods like bread, pastas and cereals are highly processed, the body very quickly turns them into sugar, causing an almost instantaneous spike in blood sugar. This signals the pancreas to produce insulin. Our liver then makes fat. For anyone wanting to shed some pounds, Dr. Day notes that by eating more fruits and vegetables, it is likely we will lose weight over time.
According to Dr. Day, supplements will not fill the nutritional gap. “Studies were done to assess the contents of supplements on the shelves of 5 major chains. They contained only 20 per cent of what is claimed on the labels.”
Adopting the Longevity Village diet does seem daunting, but the increase of conditions ike dementia, diabetes and heart disease is alarming. “In Western medicine,” Dr. Day says, “we tend to think of them as age related. We treat them with surgery and medications. In Longevity Village they are virtually unheard of.”
Linda and I are eating more fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains. Avoiding processed and packaged foods is almost impossible but we buy them less often. I still eat Linda’s cookies and when our friends Terry and Lis showed up recently with donuts from the Princeton Dollar Store, we did partake with considerable enthusiasm. Samosas, available at Keremeos fruit stands, also continue to tempt. It’s tough contending with human frailties.
We don’t share Woody Allen’s seeming preoccupation with immortality, but we are becoming increasingly aware we need to take concrete measures to preserve and improve our health. We want to continue chiseling away at our too numerous questionable food choices. If you observe us running at break neck speed up Hospital Hill in Hedley when we are centenarians, you’ll know we’ve fully bought into the Longevity Village diet.
A small town perspective on people, community, politics and environment.
A substantial crowd showed up in Hedley on November 11th to remember the men and women who served in the military to preserve our freedoms and way of life. Wreaths were laid by members of Hedley organizations, all levels of government and various other groups. It was noted that this is an especially important year because it marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice to end WW I.
The Honour Guard was led by 2 Mounties in red serge from the Princeton detachment. A member of the Canadian armed forces, Corp. Nick Dechamps (part-time resident of Hedley), served as Parade Marshall.
As in recent years, Graham Gore, pastor of the Hedley Grace Church, was the MC. He read “In Flanders Fields”, and then read the names of the 17 young Hedley men whose names are inscribed on the local cenotaph. Thirteen of them died in WWI and four in WW II.
Local war historian, Andy English, spoke eloquently about the experiences of the Hedley men in both World Wars. He made special mention of Jack Lorenzetto who was conscripted in Feb. 1918 and Thomas Calvert, who served under Sam Steele. Jack was killed by shell fire Sept. 8, 1918 while transporting rations to his comrades on the front line. Thomas Calvert was badly wounded on the night of Nov. 2, 1918 during his battalion’s last battle of the war. He died Nov. 23, 1918, twelve days after the armistice was signed. Jack and Thomas were the last two Hedley boys to die as the result of combat in WW I.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was a rendition of “The Honour Song” by Amber Cardenas and Mya Ghostkeeper in the Okanagan language. They accompanied their singing with hand drumming.
A number of members of the Lorenzetto family came from other communities to honour the memory of Jack Lorenzetto.
At sundown 10 local citizens, most from the Hedley Volunteer Fire Department, gathered at the museum. They each rang the bell 10 times for a total of 100, to mark one hundred years since the signing of the Armistice that ended WW I. Taking his turn here is Zion Nimchuk, youngest member of the fire department.
