Category Archives: People

People

Buster Likes A Little Zing

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Clarence (Buster) Flynn (photo by Angelique Wood)

After observing human behaviour over my many years, I’ve concluded that some individuals just are not mentally or emotionally suited to live bland lives. Whether by luck, decision, or risk taking, they attract colour, action and zing into their existence. A phone conversation with Clarence (Buster) Flynn of Abbotsford last week convinced me he fits easily into this category. I was made aware of Buster by Angelique Wood after she loaded his 18 wheeler at the Fire Master location near Princeton.

Although Buster has been involved with heavy equipment most of his life, his first love was horses. “At about age 11 or 12 I began helping out at a local horse farm,” he recalled. “I fed and watered the horses, cleaned the stalls and did whatever was necessary.”

Considering furthering schooling unnecessary, Buster quit after grade nine. He got a job at the PNE and there he met Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, at that time popular celebrities. “I shook hands with them and stroked Trigger’s neck,” he remembered. “I didn’t have paper for an autograph, so Dale wrote on my wrist.” It’s still a valued memory.

At about age 15 he began working as a groom with thoroughbreds at the Landsdowne Race Track. “I was on duty at all hours, day and night,” he said. “Besides attending to their various needs, I walked the horses around the track on race days so people could watch them prancing and place bets on the ones they thought might win. They were high strung and unpredictable. I learned to be nimble, but I got bit and kicked lots. One of the horses, Chick Bird, took a liking to me and followed me around wherever I went. Developing a relationship with the horses took time. I learned about patience.”

One day Buster was given permission to ride a thoroughbred if he could persuade it to cross a bridge the horses didn’t like. The horse reared and bucked, but he persevered and the crossing was successful. Then, while riding by himself near the Deas Island Tunnel, the traffic was halted and a large open limousine emerged. This was the official opening of the tunnel and he had heard that Queen Elizabeth would be in the procession. “I wanted to meet her and say ‘hi’, so I urged the horse forward and came alongside the limousine.”

Being a horse enthusiast herself, the Queen immediately engaged him in conversation, asking questions about the impressive mount he was riding. A police officer hurried over and said, “son, get your horse off the highway!” The queen was enjoying the conversation though and said, “leave him alone. I’m talking with him.” Later Buster’s Mom said to him, “I heard about you on the radio. You’re famous!”

Although he loved the horses and the work, by age 18 Buster realized there was little money or future for him here. His father, a locomotive engineer hauling logs, wanted him to also become an engineer. “I enjoyed riding with him on the train,” Buster said, “but I wanted a machine with a steering wheel.”

He enrolled in a heavy equipment course and learned to operate scrapers, bulldozers, front end loaders, and more. After graduating, he visited a construction site and observed an operator on a mobile crane. “I watched him pull the levers, then went to the office and applied for a job. The manager asked if I could operate that crane. The course had not provided instruction on mobile cranes but I had confidence I’d figure it out. I told him I could. Although I was wearing street clothes, he asked if I was ready to start immediately.”

Buster’s first assignment was to drive the mobile crane to Richmond and load a 32 foot yacht onto a flat deck truck. “I figured out how to operate the crane, and got the job done without a scratch on the boat,” he said.

After many years of operating heavy equipment, Buster switched to driving highway rigs. In 2009 he survived a head on crash with another semi in the Fraser Canyon. The crash and two months recuperating didn’t dampen his ardour for driving. Now age 77, he is hauling lumber, beer, produce, firewood and whatever is required. He still says, “I just love getting up in the morning and going to work.” He’s one of those special ones who like a dose of zing in their lives.

Hedley, Leadership, People

A Life Shaping Decision

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Art & Don Albers connecting after 35 years.

Most of us at some time are confronted with a difficult decision that will impact our entire life. In The Road Less Taken, poet Robert Frost says, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.” I was reminded of these lines when Don Albers of Red Deer Alberta knocked on the door of our home in Hedley. I had not seen Don in about 35 years and his visit was a total surprise. “I’m on my way home to Red Deer,” he said. “I stopped here to tell you that working with young offenders at the One Way Adventure Foundation significantly shaped me and gave my life a sense of purpose.” I was interested in what he had to say and invited him in.

Sitting at a table in the sun room, Don said the decision to come here had not been quick or easy. “I grew up on our family’s farm in Alberta,” he recalled. “I acquired the skills needed in farming. I could operate a tractor and, when necessary, fix it. My plan was to be a farmer Then my parents lost the farm due to high interest rates.” Almost overnight he became a young man without a plan or a sense of direction.

He paused, then continued. “My friend Susan was here. For her working with difficult teens was a steep challenge. Her notes and phone calls mostly focused on how hard it was.” Surprisingly, Don was intrigued, not deterred. “Her words kindled a desire within me, an insistent longing to be part of something important. I was searching for a path that would give meaning to my life.”

The urging within was powerful but he didn’t know if this was something he would be able to do. “As a kid I was diagnosed with dyslexia,” he said. “Learning to read and write was a struggle. I had come to think of myself as a dummy. It eroded my confidence.”

Caught up in a confusing vortex of uncertainty and turmoil, he began to wonder if Hedley might provide an answer. It was with considerable trepidation that he enrolled in our training program for young workers. He quickly discovered this would be very much a “hands on” education. Inspite of an initial lack of confidence, he showed indications of considerable potential.

Before long he was given responsibility for five boys. They worked in the garage under the supervision of a mechanic. They participated in the horse program, worked in the kitchen and attended school. If they were assigned to help someone in Hedley move, Don first had a group meeting. “There would be opportunities to slip things into their pockets. I wanted them to learn about honesty.”

As workers we sought to show the youths a more positive response to life circumstances. They were prone to avoid frustration and difficulty. Often they became angry and dug in their heels rather than look for a solution to a problem. One day when Don and the boys were at our Upper Camp facility on Nickle Plate Mountain making firewood, a log struck him on the head. “The boys didn’t understand why I wasn’t angry. They gathered around me and asked why I didn’t swear. It gave me an opportunity to talk about my values and my approach to adverse circumstances.”

Another day while hiking on a mountain side, they needed to traverse a difficult section of the trail. “I have an issue with vertigo,” he said. “For me this was a dangerous situation. I noticed that Mike, one of the smaller boys, was very confident.” It became a teaching moment for Don. He could have aborted the hike. Instead he said, “Mike, I’m having trouble with vertigo. I need you to talk me through this.” Later Mike said to him, “I don’t think anyone ever needed me before.”

Don and his boys began gaining a reputation for reliability and getting things done. “The guys were developing a sense of self-worth,” he said. “They felt pride in being part of this group. For me the decision to come to Hedley set me on a path to work with people. It opened a lot of doors later, including 5 years at Youth With A Mission (YWAM), and 10 years as a pastor. Looking back now, I see it as the beginning of my adult life.”

People

Claudia, From Bombs in El Salvador to Peace in Princeton

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Claudia at her business in Princeton.

I came away from a conversation with Claudia Orellana Earl deeply impressed by the capacity of the human spirit to prevail in spite of opposition, setbacks, and danger. “When I was a child living in El Salvador,” she said, “I often hid under my bed at night, listening to gunshots and bombs exploding. Our country was caught up in a nasty civil war and I almost never felt safe.”

Claudia now lives in Princeton and owns All About Computers on Bridge Street. The memories of those danger fraught years are still vivid. “My mother’s husband and father both died in 1973,” she recalled. “It was a hard time for her. She never told me she loved me and couldn’t provide for the family, so she gave me to my grandmother. Grandmother became a mother figure for me and she loved me unconditionally. She never said a harsh word to me.”

In 1980, when Claudia was 10, her mother took her back and they set out for the U.S. border. A relative already in America sent two blond friends to Mexico to bring her over. “I didn’t know a word of English,” Claudia said. “I was afraid the border guards would ask me questions, but they assumed I was a child of the blond couple and ignored me.” Her mother was brought over in another vehicle. They lived in America until Ronald Reagan became president and ordered refugee claimants to go home, saying “it’s safe there now.”

El Salvador continued to be unstable and dangerous. Returning there was not an option they could consider. Fearing expulsion, they fled to Brandon, Manitoba where they were sponsored by a United Church. “Mom was really determined,” Claudia said. “She attended the University in Brandon and earned a BA in psychology.”

Living with fear and poverty in El Salvador had exacted a toll on Claudia’s mother. “She couldn’t say she loved me. If she saw anything in me she didn’t like, she withdrew from me. She taught me not to trust.”

Her mother couldn’t handle the cold and returned to Texas, where she earned two Masters degrees. Possibly the warm Texas sun, educational and professional success, and living in a safe environment had a healing impact on her. “Our relationship has improved,” Claudia observed, obviously relieved. “She doesn’t withdraw from me anymore, and she isn’t judgmental. Her determination to succeed has been a big influence in my life.”

Claudia married her high school sweetheart, and in 1992 they moved to Japan. “He returned to Canada to obtain a degree in architecture. I stayed in Japan and supported him, teaching English in a technical high school. I was shy and introverted but realized to be successful, I needed to change. I learned to project my voice and when the students didn’t understand, I acted out what I was saying. My ten years in Japan gave me confidence. It’s where I became the woman I am now.”

Claudia had never wanted to have children, fearing she would pass on too many negatives from her own past. This changed when her husband abandoned the relationship. She married a Japanese man and gave birth to a daughter. “The greatest disappointment of my life came when he walked out and refused to have any contact with our child. It made her very sad that she couldn’t spend time with her dad. I don’t understand how a father could do this.”

Looking back now, Claudia said “there have been a lot of events in my life. My mom was a gypsy, and I’m one too. I’ve lived in 34 homes, 14 cities and 4 countries.” Coming to Princeton seems to have settled her. “Now I try to give the love my grandmother gave me. I’ve learned to be patient with my computer clients. If someone doesn’t understand, I’m very willing to explain it ten times. I want to live in a way that would make my grandmother proud.”

At the end of our conversation Claudia said, “People who complain don’t understand what it’s like to live with fear and poverty. We’re so blessed in this country. I’m very grateful that I have a family, a home and a business. And I’m grateful I don’t have to hide in fear under my bed at night, listening to gunshots and explosions. I love the people here, and I love being close to nature. I really feel at home in Princeton.”

Hedley Times, People

Karen Collins Shedding Light On Local History

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Karen Collins, local history sleuth

Karen Collins is gifted with a number of attributes that would have made her an attractive recruit for CSIS, Canada’s spy agency. Chief among these are an insatiable curiosity, a prodigious work ethic and a tenacious will to tease out information from unlikely sources. Add to this an alert mind and an ability to express herself clearly, and we have the makings of a canny sleuth. The spy moguls didn’t come calling though and she has devoted her research talents to unearthing secrets from the local past.

Born in Oliver, Karen spent her growing up years in rural communities, including several years in Hedley. When the family moved to Kettle Valley, the nearest neighbours lived a mile away. Still preschool, Karen and her older brother tramped a mile through bush to play with their children. Even at that age her curiosity sometimes took over. When her father said they should stay away from a nearby hill because the bears were coming out of hibernation, she felt compelled to do a little investigating there. One day her father hid in a clump of bushes and made growling sounds. “We were terrified,” she admitted. “My mom saw us coming and she told me later I had been running so fast, my ponytail had been flying straight out.”

Her fascination with local history began early. “My parents took us for Sunday drives along logging roads and they talked about local scenes and people. I was interested and paid attention.”

Karen’s interest in local history, especially the people, didn’t abate. “I learned that Thomas Ellis and his family, early ranchers with thousands of acres and large herds of cattle, had donated land for the Penticton Cemetery” she said. “I made a list of all the people buried there and did research on them.” She wanted to know who they were and what they had contributed to their community.

When geologist Charles Camsell (1876-1958) came to Karen’s attention, she was quickly intrigued. She learned he was the son of an HBC factor and did extensive geological fieldwork in southern B.C. Locally he did a detailed survey of the unique gold deposits of Nickel Plate Mountain. “I recently ordered a rare book on Camsell from Boston, ” Karen said, “but it’s so musty I’ve put it aside to let it air out.”

When Karen became a single mom with two young children, she took a retail course at Okanagan College. In 1979 she was hired by Woodwards in Penticton. Here she met Hartley Clelland when he became store manager in the mid 1980’s. He had grown up in Hedley so this gave them an important common ground. They were surprised when they discovered that Karen’s great aunt Maggie (McLean) had been married to Joseph Brent, Hartley’s great grandfather. In time the relationship flourished and they became a couple.

“We visited a number of countries,” Karen said. “In Egypt I took a photo of Hartley at a pyramid. In Mexico I climbed to the edge of a pyramid. We also did cruises. These trips gave us an appreciation for what we have, and also for the people who live there. Hartley and I enjoyed over 25 years together, until his passing in 2019.”

Karen retired early and is investing much of her time in research and writing. She is president of the Penticton branch of the South Okanagan Historical Society and south okanagan editor of the society’s annual publication, Okanagan History. She has researched and written about area schools, churches, businesses and agriculture. “Currently I’m working on an article about L.W. Shatford,” she said. “He built the store that eventually became the Hitching Post restaurant in Hedley. For 17 years he was the local Conservative MLA. Later he was appointed to the Senate.”

Karen has scoured pretty much all newspapers in southern B.C. Some, like the Hedley Gazette are now defunct, but past issues offer valuable insights into people and events of early years. She also goes to the UBC Library Open Collections site for information.

Karen has family connections to the local past. Her great grandfather, Roderick McLean, was in charge of the Keremeos HBC post from 1863 to 1868. Listening to her talk about the men and women whose lives she has researched and written about, I was impressed with her intimate understanding of them, and the immense respect she has for them. Some are family and others seem like family.

Hedley Times, People

A Former “Bad Boy” Tells His Story

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Paul Richardson, when he was working in Cuba

In the years I worked for the One Way Adventure Foundation, a variety of youths were sent to our programs by judges, probation officers and social workers. Invariably they came with thorny issues that brought them pain but which they resisted dealing with. For mere mortals, change is difficult and I have sometimes wondered when they moved on whether we had helped them gain the motivation, understanding and skills required to continue rebuilding their lives.

Last week, after vanishing for forty-five years, one such youth surprised me with the following comment on my blogsite.

“I was one of those ‘bad boys’ sent to the OWAF back in 1976 by the courts. What an adventure!!

My name is Paul Richardson and I’m forever grateful to Len & Jean. Ron Gibson if I remember right was a counselor with the foundation. Ron would always steer us straight and kept a tight rein on us. I attended the Foundation School in Surrey, and we would travel to Hedley lots. Stayed in the Colonial House and the chef in the kitchen was a fantastic cook, (former biker if memory serves me right).

They had a cabin up the mountain from Hedley that we stayed in for a few nights in the winter. Going out to the well, break the ice in it to get water and the snow was deep. When we came back to the Colonial House, we came down the old tram line snow shoeing and sliding on our butts( I have a scar from an old spike sticking out of the ground ). Never felt it, frozen butt. It wasn’t until the chef noticed and fixed me up right away.

I was 16 when I was sent there and here I am soon to be 61, and the memories of that time of my life are flooding back to me. They are what saved me back then, the counselors of this great foundation. Have to stop writing for tears are forming in my eyes.


It took me another 10 years to get it. At 26 I sobered up and have been in AA for 34 years now, married and still living and dreaming. Thank-you Ron, Len and Jean and the rest of the One Way Adventure Foundation.”

Although I did not work with Paul directly, I recalled he had been gifted with a robust physique and a willingness to engage in conversation. In a 2 hour phone call from his home in Calgary last week, he talked about his life. “My father was an alcoholic,” he said. “He joined AA and my mother attended Al-Anon. I don’t remember my father ever giving me any positive affirmations in my early years, or saying he loved me.”

Paul began drinking some time after age 8. “The alcohol interfered with my memory. I don’t remember much of my childhood. I became a blackout drinker. I could be happy-go-lucky, then, in an instant become angry without reason”. As we talked, some memories came back to Paul. “A friend and I were bored and did a break and entry, looking for alcohol. This is what got me sent to the One Way Adventure Foundation at their Surrey location. I was placed in the home of a local family and this was a good experience.

In his younger years my group leader, Ron Gibson, had been on the wrong side of the law himself. He had been where we were, and had learned to stay away from what would drag him back down. Ron and other leaders planted good seed in us.”

After the Foundation Paul floundered for another 10 years, then went to detox, sobered up and joined AA. More good seed was planted here. “I still love the taste of alcohol,” he said. “I just don’t touch it anymore.

Paul Richardson, in front of a jobsite in Galveston, Texas

In 1986 I took a heavy equipment operators course and learned to run dozers, scrapers, graders, packers and other equipment. I enjoyed it and found I had a knack for it. Since then I’ve also taken courses in excavators and boom trucks. I’ve worked across Canada and in the U.S.”

In 2001 Paul married Rose and they have a comfortable home in Calgary. Looking back over his life now, he stills gives credit to the good seed planted by the One Way Adventure Foundation and AA. It helped that he was receptive to the constructive counsel he received.

Hedley Times, People

Happy Valentines Jim & Pat!

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Pat & Jim Melville, still in love! This photo was taken for Valentines Day, 2015. 

This is a reprint of the 2015 article.

Advertising moguls wouldn’t likely select Jim and Pat Melville of Hedley as their Valentines Day poster couple. After the bumps and bruises that come with almost 45 years of marriage and raising 2 children, the Melvilles don’t have the sleek, unrealistic fashion magazine figures. They don’t exude the “over the top” glamour advertisers thrive on. For me their life partnership provides convincing evidence that stability and faithfulness in a relationship is more rewarding than the Larry King model of multiple failed marriages. I was interested in meeting with them because they are so thoroughly untouched by the hype and values of the advertising gurus.

They grew up in a time when money was scarce. Recalling the day in 1960 when he went to a car lot, Jim said, “I told the salesman I liked the1949 Pontiac they had, but I could pay only three hundred dollars. He said he’d talk to the manager. A few minutes later he came back. The manager had approved my offer.” The first time he went to put in gas, he couldn’t find the gas cap. After hunting for some time, he found it behind one of the tail lights.

For Jim, meeting Pat must have been “love at first sight.” He still remembers the day and the precise time. “I was working at what is now the Weyerhauser Mill in Princeton,” he said. “Some friends came to give me and a co-worker a ride home. They brought Pat along. It was 6 pm on October 24th, 1969.” For him the timing was fortuitous. His father had been deceased for 13 years, and he had lost his mother 3 weeks ago. Pat was a ray of sunshine. The following weekend he took her to a movie in Oroville.

They had similar interests and values, and their relationship flourished rapidly. It may surprise younger readers that Jim asked Pat’s parents for “her hand in marriage.” At that time there was greater respect for societal values and institutions, including marriage. Her father liked him and jokingly said, “if you want her, take her.”

“We asked Reverend Derek Salter to marry us,” Jim said. “He took marriage pretty seriously. We had to go to his home and tell him about ourselves and why we wanted to get married. I don’t remember what we told him.”

Apparently the Reverend was satisfied with their responses. He performed the ceremony in Hedley’s United Church (now Hedley Grace Church) on March 28, 1970.

Pat and Jim share a lengthy history in Hedley. Her family arrived in 1951 and her father operated the tram that moved ore, supplies and people between the Nickel Plate mine, high on the mountain, and the town. “I attended school here,“ she said. “So did our children and grandchildren.”

Jim arrived somewhat later than Pat. He is one quarter native and related to the well known Allison family. “My mom was half aboriginal,” he said. “My dad was Irish.”
Initially they rented. When they applied to rent a house owned by the Credit Union, the manager said, “Why rent? You should buy it. There is a grant available.” They accepted his advice and it is their home to this day.

“There were large families living in small houses then,” Pat said. “People didn’t have much money to do things. We attended community events. There were dances at the Moose Hall and a big Robbie Burns celebration each year. Also Boxing Day and New Years dances. Groups of ladies met for coffee in their homes. Expectations weren’t as high as now.”

It has taken love, a sense of humour and commitment to get to where they are now. “If we didn’t agree about something,” Pat said, “we talked about it. We always worked through the problems.”

When our coffee cups were empty and they were ready to leave, it occurred to me that throughout our conversation, their voices had been gentle and respectful toward each other. At a time when 30 day Hollywood unions no longer surprise us, the Melville’s life long partnership is inspiring and well worth observing. Happy Valentines Jim and Pat!

Unfortunately, Jim passed away January 24, 2021. He was a good friend to many, and a valued member of the Hedley community.

Hedley Times, People

Noree Finds Purpose At Camp Colonial

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Noree on the patio of their Hedley home.

When Noree Lilly first arrived in Hedley at age 19, she didn’t expect these few days to dramatically alter the direction of her life. Born in New Mexico and raised in California, she had left a job in a California hospital seeking adventure and purpose. “I enrolled as a student at Trinity Western University,” she said. “One of the courses was in outdoor recreation and the instructors brought us to Camp Colonial in Hedley for the wilderness skills component.”

She was enchanted by the mountains, the Similkameen River, and the rustic former gold mining community. Some aspects of the training were intimidating though, testing her courage and resolve.“The rappelling course really challenged me,” she recalled. “I was terrified the first time I was instructed to step off the edge of a high rock cliff and rappel down. Although the two instructors were experienced and I was securely tied in, I knew if anything went wrong it would be a long plunge to the bottom. When we moved to the higher, more difficult Grosbeak site, at one point because of the inward curving of the rock wall, my feet couldn’t find rock surface to steady myself.” The course also included rock climbing, chimneying, orienteering and stretcher lowering. “I didn’t at that time have the upper body strength required for rock climbing,” she said. “I struggled with it.”

In the evening Noree and the other course participants returned to the Camp Colonial lodge and here she met Len Roberts, founder of the One Way Adventure Foundation. The organization, still in its infancy, had a contract with the provincial government to operate programs for youth in Surrey and at Camp Colonial. It lacked extensive resources, but Len saw possibilities where others did not. He apparently recognized the potential in Noree and invited her to a one on one visit with him.

The young organization’s budget was lean and the needs were numerous. Len could not offer Noree a financial incentive to come on staff. What he could offer was an opportunity to provide constructive guidance to youths who almost invariably came from dysfunctional homes, substance abuse, crime and life on the streets. “In the church our family attended in California I taught a class for teens, some almost my age,” Noree said. “I found it hard and told myself I will never work with teens again.”

Len did not have charisma as we commonly think of it. His fervent belief in the importance of the work was compelling though, and in his presentation of the vision Noree heard something she found appealing. “His words and quiet passion ignited something deep inside me, and I decided to come on board.”

Initially she was promised no pay for her work, other than room and meals. “Len did at times slip me twenty five dollars for basic essentials,” she said. There were other perks. One that she valued highly was the more advanced wilderness skills training provided by Jeff Evans of Keremeos Outward Bound. Noree benefited from Jeff’s expert training and in time was elevated to the rank of instructor in rappelling and orienteering.

Watching Noree develop as a leader, Len initiated a one year training school for young adults who yearned for adventure, purpose, and experience in working with people. The training included rappelling, rock climbing, a ten day Bowron Lakes canoeing and portaging expedition. There was also a five day back packing expedition in Cathedral park, down hill and cross country skiing, horse back riding, plus yard work, cleaning and cooking. They were mentored in wilderness skills and the youth work by several seasoned, established staff.

Noree loved the outdoors and the activities gave her a common ground with the youths. “I got close to some of the girls,” she said. “After completing their program, years later they at times came around to visit and in some cases to show off their children.” At the end of one year Noree became the first graduate of this program. It matured and prepared her to become a full fledged group leader. She met Derek, a co-worker, and in time they were married. They now have three adult children and two grandchildren. After the Foundation closed its doors Noree worked for the Hedley Improvement District and then Canada Post. The young woman who came to Camp Colonial many years ago found adventure, purpose, a family, lasting friendships and much more.

Hedley, Inspiration, People

Lindsay Fairweather, Advocate For Cold Water Swimming

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Lindsay Fairweather on the bank of the Similkameen River, preparing her mind for a plunge into the cold water.

My idea of a preferred activity on a December morning differs vastly from that of Hedley resident, Lindsay Fairweather. For me, it’s sitting in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace with a cup of steaming coffee, reading a John Grisham novel. In a telephone conversation with Lindsay last week, I gathered she’d be just as happy swimming in the frigid water of the Similkameen River. She began swimming in the river this past May and now takes the plunge once a week. She seems to agree with Jim Whittaker, Mt. Everest mountaineer who said, “if you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.”

Lindsay has long been prone to living closer to the edge than most of us. “When I was about 15,” she said, “I had an experience that scared me. I was floating down the Similkameen on a tube. At the Slaughterhouse Rapids I was bounced from the tube and was suddenly under the water. I reached the surface but the water sucked me down repeatedly. All I could do was hold my breath and crawl along the bottom from rock to rock until I was past the rapids and able to pull myself up on a rock. I was pretty shaken up, but there was lots of adrenalin.”

More recently when she learned about the benefits of cold water swimming, she felt a tugging to try it. “I began swimming in the river this past May. To acclimatize my body to the coming winter temperatures, I ended my showers with five minutes of cold water.” Now she and a friend swim once a week. “She wears a wet suit. I wear my bathing suit and neoprene gloves.”

Lindsay Fairweather swimming underwater.

Prior to current winter temperatures, she did a two kilometer swim. “I was becoming aware of weariness and cold setting in so I made for the shore. Seeing it was overgrown with poison ivy, to which I’m severely allergic, I returned to the river. To deal with the weariness, I reminded myself that I’m much stronger than I give myself credit for. The Ford slogan, “built tough” came to me and I told myself, that’s how I’m built.” She began repeating to herself, “Built tough! Built tough!” It became a mantra. From this and other experiences she has learned it’s important to not under estimate the power of the mind. “Sometimes you have to think of another option,” she said.

Lindsay returned to the river and kept swimming, repeating “Built tough”.

Several potentially life ending episodes have convinced Lindsay she can’t be blasé about what she is doing. She recognizes that cold water swimming is inherently hazardous and she must be constantly aware of how the cold is impacting her physically. One website stresses the importance of understanding the dangers. “When entering cool water,” it says, “the muscles tighten. Breathing can become erratic and shallow. Overcoming a game ending panicky feeling starts and ends with the breathing.”

For Lindsay breathing is an essential aspect of her preparation. “I take a number of rapid breaths,” she said. “I also practise holding my breath. I can do that for three minutes. When I enter the water, I breathe calmly and walk until I’m in up to my neck. Learning to stay calm also helps me in challenging circumstances I encounter in life. People suffering with depression and anxiety disorders can benefit from this.”

Lindsay has derived a number of life altering positives from cold water swimming. “I love the thrill,” she said, “but there are a number of mental and physical benefits. Injured muscles heal more rapidly. Cold water immersion also quick starts the immune system and increases the number of white blood cells. I’ve found that it impacts my mental state. I feel happier, more awake and clear minded. It’s like a kind of meditation. I think more positively about myself. It helps me overcome negative self talk.”

By the end of an hour long conversation I concluded that much of Lindsay’s enthusiasm stems from the way cold water swimming is changing who she is and how she perceives herself. Each time she immerses her body in the river, she must steel herself against the cold. Experience has taught her there is potential unseen danger lurking beneath the surface. Her words suggest that for her cold water swimming is an inner exploration. It is creating in her a fuller understanding of who she is and what she is capable of accomplishing.

Community, People

Lynn Wells, End of an Era

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Lynn Wells shared some of her experiences.

Only rarely do the faint of heart apply for a leadership role. Leading can be a messy undertaking, fraught with unanticipated challenges and sometimes undeserved criticism. Knowing this, I’ve noted the fortitude of Lynn Wells as head of the Hedley Improvement District for many years. She completed her third and final term last week and Hedley will now need to look for new leadership.

In a two hour conversation in our home, Lynn shared some of her experiences, beginning in 2010. “The community needed to upgrade its fire truck or accept a huge increase in property insurance,” she recalled. “I asked if I could serve on the committee set up to research the matter.” There were widely differing opinions as to whether the town should purchase a new truck or find a used one. At times the discussions in the community became pretty heated. It was Lynn’s first foray into local politics.

In 2011 she ran for a position on the Hedley Improvement District (HID). Trustees receive a $100 per year honorarium and are responsible for the water system, street lighting and fire department. She paused for a moment to reflect, then said, “I didn’t know what to expect. It was a steep learning curve. I wanted to understand what I had become involved in so I looked into the history and responsibilities of improvement districts. I learned the HID had been set up in 1952. Funding is an issue because we’re not permitted to apply to the provincial government for funds. Improvement Districts can apply to the Regional District, but every community has a wish list and there is fierce competition for grants.”

Lynn considers the lack of funds for infrastructure upgrades as Hedley’s most pressing issue. “Several years ago I wrote two proposals requesting grants from the RDOS,” she said. “Elef Christensen, our Area Director at that time, was able to obtain only enough money to replace water pipes on one block of Daly Avenue.”

As in many communities in our province, much of our water system is well past the “best before” date. Underlying this issue is a longstanding debate as to whether Hedley should join the RDOS. This could give us access to provincial grants, providing of course the government isn’t bankrupted by the covid crises. In the past there has been a solid wall of opposition to this prospect. Some old timers in town attach great importance to the almost complete lack of building and other regulations.

Lynn pointed out that whatever course of action we take, we must expect there will be an increase in taxes and fees. She is acutely aware this could cause hardship for people on fixed incomes. In spite of the drawbacks, she favours joining the RDOS. Last spring she felt the town could not ignore the issue much longer and wanted to initiate the required consultations with local citizens. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing nixed this idea due to the covid pandemic.

“We have low levels of arsenic in the water,” she said. “If this rises above the permitted level, Interior Health may require us to upgrade our infrastructure. To undertake this ourselves would entail borrowing about 2 million dollars. If we join the RDOS, they may cover up to 75 percent. To this time we’ve been applying bandaid solutions in emergency situations. This siphons off funds saved for capital projects. It’s not sustainable.”

To this time Lynn has stickhandled the community through the various water issues. The trustees have held town meetings to provide information and explain HID decisions. One of these meetings became boisterous, with a few disgruntled citizens throwing unfair barbs at her. Resilient and resolute, Lynn remained unflustered, refuted the allegations graciously and carried on. Someone else might have walked out of the meeting in frustration. The most effective leaders are able to remain focused on important objectives and not be distracted by opposition.

In recent years a number of people have moved out of Hedley for health and other reasons. New people with fresh ideas and greater means are taking their place. Also, some of us who have been here a while are realizing we need to begin seriously grappling with the water issue before the system crumbles. Change is coming. Without Lynn Wells leading, we really should all pay more attention and accept greater responsibility for our community. Thanks, Lynn, for your years at the helm.

People

Living In Difficult Times

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Uncle Jim & Aunt Betty probably didn’t have the luxury of this many trees near their home.

At this time when some people are chafing at covid-19 restrictions, I’m reminded of how people responded to the deprivations of the Great Depression. There were few opportunities for employment, and even fewer government handouts. My grandparents, Abram and Susana Funk, lived in a remote area of Manitoba. They were surrounded by their 14 offspring, all on small acreages. Having grown up on marginally productive land, the Funks had developed a robust work ethic, learned to laugh at adversity, and at times to risk just to survive.

I especially like to think of my Uncle Jim. With coal black hair and a powerful physique, he was the most audacious of an audacious bunch. I once asked his wife, my Aunt Betty, if he had requested a kiss on their first date. “Oh no!” she said, laughing with evident pleasure at the memory. “He didn’t ask. He just did it.” By the winter of 1936 they were already married, had three children, and a fourth was well on the way.

Having shared food with hungry destitute men looking for work, the supply in their root cellar had been considerably depleted. Uncle Jim knew he needed to shoot a deer. When he rose early on January 19th, the mercury had plummeted to below zero F over night and snow was falling relentlessly. He placed paper and kindling in the stove and lit the fire, then hurried out into the frigid cold to feed the dozen chickens, Dolly the milk cow, several rabbits and Ned, his faithful appaloosa mare. After milking Dolly he collected the eggs and carried in enough wood for the day. His pretty blond wife was already mixing dough to bake brown bread.

Like his five brothers, Uncle Jim was skilled with axe, saw and rifle. He had been in the woods many days in summer and fall, cutting fire wood to sell in Winnipeg. His meager income had enabled them to buy flour and other essentials, but now there was little money left in the tin coffee can kept under their bed. In spite of the cold and snow, he’d have to hunt today.

He had donned his thick grey Stanfield underwear upon rising. Now, wearing a heavy parka with a fur lined hood, his coal black moustache and deeply sun and wind browned face gave him the appearance of an Inuit hunter setting out to search for polar bears. Uncle Jim kissed Aunt Betty, who said, “it’s not a good day for hunting. Don’t take any foolish risks.”

The wind was less brisk now and the snow lighter as he and Ned set out for a meadow about an hour from home. There at the edge of a stand of poplars, he tied a canvas tarp between two trees down wind from where he expected deer. Using the tarp as shelter against the weather, he and the appaloosa settled in and waited patiently. He had just poured himself a cup of strong black coffee from a flask when two young bucks emerged cautiously from among the trees on the opposite side of the clearing. They pawed at the snow while their noses sniffed anxiously.

Uncle Jim raised his rifle slowly and fired two shots. One buck crumpled and the other fled. After gutting the deer, he hoisted it to the back of Ned, and holding the reins, set off on foot beside the horse.

The following morning, after chores and breakfast with his family, he heard a car door bang shut. Looking out a window, he realized it was Constable Monroe, the Mountie stationed in Steinbach.

He was surprised when the constable greeted him with, “Mr. Funk, we have a report that you’ve been hunting out of season. Do you have any game in your barn?” Not wanting to lie, Uncle Jim said, “I have rabbits in there.” To this the Mountie replied, “I’ll have to look.” Concerned the deer would be taken and he’d be fined, Uncle Jim said nothing.

The Constable had been in the force many years and understood the plight of these rural people who had little income. When he returned he said, “Mr. Funk, that’s a mighty big rabbit you have hanging there. I hope you and your family enjoy it.” A hint of a smile crossed his face and then he departed.