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Christmas 2015
School and seamstress spin holiday magic for Salmon Arm student
SALMON ARM - Things were looking grim when Olivia Perry-Coultas and her teachers started looking for something she could wear to the Salmon Arm Secondary winter formal dance — few things fit and time was running out. But the generosity of her community and strangers helped her feel like a princess for the special day....
Kamloops stuffed 14 cruisers
KAMLOOPS - Kamloops RCMP were overwhelmed with the generosity of Kamloops on Sunday, Dec. 13, when 14 cruiser loads of donations were received at Walmart and Toys R Us locations. RCMP officers, volunteers and Christmas Amalgamated were out to accept donations, in efforts to make Christmas brighter for families in need. A huge thank you...
Christmas wish list: Auroras, full moons and meteor showers
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The next two weeks could be everything you wished for if sky watching is at the top of your Christmas list. The northern lights seem to have been making a lot more appearances this year, and another storm is expected to hit Earth this week, as early as this evening. Unfortunately Environment Canada...
Thieves strike Kelowna’s Candy Cane Lane
KELOWNA - Christmas spirit has taken a hit after thieves stole several laser light show displays from homes in Kelowna's Springvalley neighbourhood decorated to spreak holiday cheer and collect food for local charities. Every year, home owners create Candy Cane Lane by decorating their homes and yards with blinding Christmas decorations. Last year they collected about...
Why workers at some City Halls must take holidays in December
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Civic governments in Kamloops, Vernon and Penticton keep their main offices open over the holidays but they do it a little differently in the Central Okanagan. City Halls in both West Kelowna and Kelowna will be closed for the week between Christmas and New Years along with the offices of the Central Okanagan...
Good marketing is good, says UBCO professor
KELOWNA – A UBC Okanagan marketing professor says Starbucks' successful and controversial red cup campaign was good marketing. Assistant Professor Eric Li said in a news release that attention to a product is actually good for sales. He also claims the anti-Starbucks Facebook video, uploaded by an American evangelist four days after the release of...
Kamloops pizza shop owner shares a slice with the less fortunate
KAMLOOPS – The owner of two local pizza shops has created a program to help…
Purses for homeless women in Kamloops full of necessities for life on the street
KAMLOOPS – A local resident will be singing carols and handing out purses to homeless women in an attempt to bring both Christmas cheer and helpful supplies. Kim Coltman, a part-time employee at Headhunters Hair Salon, says she got the idea from social media. She read about a program which handed out purses full of...
‘Put it on your roof’: Vernon woman shares tale of stolen Christmas decor
VERNON - A grinch stole a Vernon woman’s Christmas spirit. Deb Robertson says close to $600 worth of LED Christmas decorations were stolen from her yard in the East Hill area of Vernon. “It’s bad to steal from anyone any time of year, but Christmas is just the lowest of the low,” Robertson says. Taken...
Alberta’s oil patch woes hit home at Central Okanagan food banks
KELOWNA - Plunging oil prices and substantial layoffs in Alberta’s oil patch are making their mark here in the Central Okanagan through a surge in food bank use. Public relations director Ami Catriona says the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank, which has branches in Kelowna and West Kelowna, noticed an unusual uptick in requests around...
Penticton Christmas lights tour returns
PENTICTON - The annual Christmas lights tour returns to Penticton next week. The City of Penticton and B.C. Transit will be sponsoring the tours on Wednesday, Dec. 16 this year. Two buses will run from the bus stop at Wade Avenue and Martin Street with the first tour beginning at 6:30 p.m. A second bus...
Candy Cane Lane shines again in Kelowna
KELOWNA – The most Christmassy neighbourhood in Kelowna is back again this year, delighting young and old with block after block of brightly lit homes. And it's all for a good cause. Candy Cane Lane has become an annual tradition in Kelowna. Nestled in the Springvalley neighbourhood, it is several blocks of blinding, decorated houses...
Socks, pyjamas, and perfume among items on Christmas wish list for Vernon’s homeless
VERNON - Vernon is once again helping to make Christmas wishes come true for the city’s less fortunate. The Christmas Wish List is a collection of personal stories and wish lists from Vernon’s homeless and shelter clients. Participants are interviewed about themselves, and the gifts that would make their Christmases brighter. The responses are then...
Sensitive Santa brings Christmas closer to children with autism
KELOWNA - A visit to see Santa in the mall, along with the obligatory photo, is a rite of passage in Canada for most kids. But if your child isn’t fascinated by the flashing lights, ringing bells and ornate costumes or together it creates a kind of sensory overload that leads to anxiety and even...
‘Stuff the cruiser’ for Kamloops families this weekend
KAMLOOPS - It’s that time of year for the annual Kamloops RCMP's ‘Stuff the Cruiser’ event, which will help provide local families with clothes, toys and food for the holiday season. On Sunday, Dec. 13, RCMP cruisers will be parked outside Toys R Us and Walmart from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to collect donations...
How Kamloops can help the less fortunate this holiday season
KAMLOOPS - While some are busy decorating their trees, putting up holiday lights or buying gifts, others are working to make sure the less fortunate can still have a fulfilling holiday season. There are many charities looking to help out the homeless or the families one paycheque away from becoming homeless and many are looking...
Local handmade holiday gift ideas
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you’re hoping to go a less commercial route this holiday season, look no further than the Thompson-Okanagan, a region that boasts numerous handcrafted gifts. From ceramics to sweet treats, there’s surely a gift to be found for every boy and girl — one that keeps you out of box-store lineups to boot....
How you can get rid of that unpaid parking ticket for the price of a toy
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - For a donated toy you can get your Impark parking ticket waived and brighten a kid's Christmas at the same time. The annual Toys of Tickets event will be held for four hours on Thursday in Kamloops and Kelowna, according to a media release. Just bring a new, unused and unwrapped toy to Salvation...
Christmas season begins in Penticton with Santa Claus Parade and Light Up
PENTICTON - A raw south wind and the threat of rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of Pentictonites who braved cool conditions Saturday afternoon to view the Santa Claus parade. The 19th edition of the parade went north on Main Street from White Avenue, terminating at Gyro Park. Even though temperatures were above...
Big, bright Christmas events happening in Kelowna this weekend
KELOWNA – The official launch of the Christmas season starts the first weekend of December, and Kelowna has a sleigh-full of fun activities to help get you in the spirit. The biggest event this weekend is the downtown Kelowna Light Up Saturday, Dec. 5, with live music, crafts, shopping, food, ice skating and Santa, followed...
Penticton launches the Christmas season this weekend
PENTICTON - The festive season launches in Penticton this weekend with the 19th annual Penticton Santa Claus Parade and Christmas Light Up. The parade starts at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, travelling north on Main Street from White Avenue to Gyro Park. There will be time for a visit with Santa prior to the Christmas tree...
How Kamloops residents can help animals in need this holiday season
KAMLOOPS – The B.C. SPCA in Kamloops has two different ways for you to support the shelter and its animals over the holidays. “Not all the animals are going to be adopted in time for Christmas. For the ones who are not adopted, it would be nice if they get something from Santa too,” Lyndsay...
Christmas celebrations begin Friday in downtown Penticton
PENTICTON - Downtown community Christmas celebrations start Friday in downtown Penticton. The Downtown Penticton Association is inviting preschool children to add decorations to the Community Christmas Tree in Gyro Park on Friday, Dec. 4 at 11:30 a.m. Penticton residents are also invited to add their favourite decorations to the tree on Friday Dec. 4 between...
Salvation Army kettle campaign ramping up
PENTICTON - The Salvation Army Kettle Campaign is well underway in Penticton with kettles up around the city. The campaign began almost two weeks ago and will kicking into high gear this coming weekend. “We’re now at all our locations in Penticton, including the Penticton Liquor Store,” coordinator Hilma Labelle says. Kettles have also been...