InFocus Magazine

Sue Medley has come home.   And what a journey it’s been for this Nanaimo-born singer-songwriter.  She left the Comox Valley at just 17, plague soon after graduating from Vanier High School, following the call of her heart and the strength of her talent.  Her first stop was Vancouver, where she sang with a top-40 cover band, paying some serious dues before moving on down a road that had her touring around the world, releasing hit singles, and winning a bunch of prestigious awards.

“People haven’t heard the last of me—the best is yet to come,” says Sue Medley, at home in Comox.

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

Known for her rich, soaring voice, accomplished guitar playing and natural gift of song-writing, Medley resists tidy classification in a single musical category.  Although she’s sometimes been called a country singer, she sees herself in a broader light.

“Instead of defining what I do by a name of a genre, I’d rather say something like… well, let’s say if you take a bit of Melissa Etheridge, a touch of Sheryl Crow and throw in a handful of Bonnie Raitt, you’d get me,” she says, laughing.

“Just put it all in a blender, mix it up, pour it out and shoot it back!” she adds, sounding like the lyric-writer she is.

In classic rock’n’roll style, Medley’s journey has had its up and downs.  The peak, she says, was singing alongside John Mellencamp at the Bob Dylan tribute in New York in the early 1990s.  “To be up there on stage at Madison Square Gardens and look out and see that crowd—that was hands down the biggest adrenaline rush I’ve ever had!”

The lowest point came about 10 years ago in Los Angeles.  She’d moved there in 1998, after signing on with a new manager who was based there.   Things started out promisingly; Medley released an independent CD, her third, called Velvet Morning, and shot a video, but without the promotional power of a major record company (in a time before Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube), it had met only a modest response.  The 15-year long whirlwind of touring, recording, and performing had lost its momentum, leaving her somewhere she’d never been—among the crowded ranks of underemployed musicians.

“For the first time ever, there were no venues, no record deals, no tours, no money,” she says.

Medley says she went through “quite a few” dark nights of the soul during this period—but she doesn’t regret a thing.  The tough times pushed her inexorably toward transformation, and she emerged from the dark with a new way to use her talent, and a realization that it was time to go home.

“I did a lot of soul searching and reassessing of what was important to me, and realized that what I wanted most was family and community.

“I’d been based in the States 19 years—in Nashville, in Bloomington, Illinois, and in LA.  But my family was here—my parents and both my sisters.  After those many years, I’m now living within walking distance of all of them,” says Medley.

“And Courtenay is such a great community.  People are so supportive of my music.  I’m connected to old friends, and making new ones, and I’m just loving where I live.”

Sitting across from me on an overstuffed couch, leaning back on a pile of comfy pillows, she gestures toward the big picture-frame window that opens onto a stunning ocean view.   “Look.  This is a far cry from my little apartment in LA.  Can it get better than this?”

I get her point.  Although Medley says her move was tough, she seems to have landed on her feet—in paradise tucked away in Comox.  Just a few hundred metres off Comox Avenue, just past the Filberg Park, is a secret driveway that winds down toward the ocean.  At the end there is a property that feels distinctly rural with sun-dappled meadows, aged fruit trees, grazing fawns, and a handful of charming little seaside cottages.  Known as the old Stubbs farm, this acreage has recently been bought by the Town of Comox to be preserved and eventually made into a park.

One of these cottages is Medley’s home base, where she has not only been connecting to her roots but also spreading her branches—in particular, launching her teaching business, Kids Rock.

During her tough times in Los Angeles, Medley’s passion for music stayed as strong as ever, even as the performance opportunities and record deals were dwindling.  Luckily she was able to find a new outlet.

“Just when I was at the point where I was asking myself, ‘Now what am I going to do?’ a friend suggested teaching.  At first I thought, ‘Who, me?’ but I got one student by word of mouth, then two, then more and more, all by word of mouth, until pretty quickly I had 17 kids,” she says.

“It was an interesting clientele—these were the sons of the rich and famous.  I’d be going to these big estates, being let in past the big gates… I even taught Glenn Frey’s son.  But I quickly came to realize that kids are kids regardless of whether they live in mansions or cabins.”

Sue Medley.

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

Rather unexpectedly, Medley found she loved teaching.  She enjoys the relationships she forms with the kids and loves helping them to grow both musically and personally.  “I especially enjoy it when I see the growth in their confidence level, especially with the singing.  What I teach is not just technical.  It’s how to connect the voice to the brain; it’s how to put feel and emotion into it.  It can be tricky getting them to get their real voice out.  But it happens!  At first there’s this wispy, shy little voice, and then all of sudden it emerges—their real voice.  When I can help them find that, it’s incredibly rewarding.”

Teaching music allows Medley to make full use of her career skills and experience.  “My only training as a teacher is my experience—and I have plenty of that,” says Medley.  “For instance, I can offer these kids my years spent on stage.  This isn’t something you can learn at university.  I can teach them how to develop stage presence, microphone technique, how to place your body on stage whether you’re in a coffee shop or a big stadium.”

Because Medley knows just how exciting performance is, she makes sure her students experience the challenge and thrill of playing live on stage as part of a band.

“I organize recitals, with me on guitar and a professional bass player, so the kids get first-hand experience, and the parents get to see how much their kids have learned.

“It’s a blast.  At the end we bring everyone up—imagine 17 kids aged eight to 16, all with their electric guitars plugged in playing a rock classic, something like Bachman Turner Overdrive’s Taking Care of Business.

“It’s a fantastic evening for everyone—myself, the parents, and the kids most of all.”

Medley has no problem relating to the kids—after all, she herself started out as a music-crazy pre-teen.  “Music was always my calling,” she says.

She started out with a drum kit at age 11.  In Grade 7, while attending Courtenay Junior School, she took up guitar.  When she was 16, she joined the Comox band Punch.  “That was a great way to start out, because the other band members were 10 years older and really great musicians—they still are; they still live here.  It was a really great catalyst for me,” says Medley.

“Once I graduated from high school, there was no question for me of what to do next.  It was full tilt music.  I played in a few different versions of Punch around the Island, then moved to Vancouver and ended up singing in a top-40 cover band, Renegade.

“That was definitely a harsh dose of reality.  I learned exactly what it was like to be the ‘chick singer’ in the band, dealing with some of those guys… one in particular”  She rolls her eyes and grins with remembered exasperation… “I put up with a lot of crap, boy oh boy!”

Following that she did a 180 degree turn and played with a jazz quartet for a while.  “And after that I joined a Vancouver band doing a country-style thing, but really rockin’ it up.  It was the early days of KD Lang.  It was a fun time to play around with country.”

It was in that period that Medley started writing her own songs.  “It happened pretty simply.  One day I just thought to myself, ‘I’m tired of singing other people’s stuff.’ So I sat down with my guitar and started writing,” she says.

In 1989, Medley released an independent country single called Cryin’ Over You.  “That was way long ago,” she says now with a laugh.  “Back then you sat down with a stack of your 45s, put ‘em in envelopes, stuck some stamps on and mailed then out to the radio stations.  We actually got quite a lot of airplay that way.”

The single garnered her five West Coast Music Awards, including best vocalist of the year and best country vocalist of the year.  It was followed by Angel Tonight a couple years later.  By then she had made an appearance at the Big Valley Jamboree in Saskatchewan and on television on the Tommy Hunter Show.

She describes 1989 as the year she was “discovered.  I was playing live at the Commodore at the West Coast Music Awards.   Afterwards, an A&R guy from Polygram Records came up and gave me his card, and the rest was history, as they say.”

This “history” comprised a busy and varied musical career.  There was a self-titled debut CD in 1990, co-produced by Medley and John Mellencamp producer Michael Wanchic, which yielded two successful singles, the number one hit Maybe the Next Time and Dangerous Times, and was followed by a North American tour, including dates with Bob Dylan.

She also became national spokesperson for Ride For Sight, a charity to raise funds for the blind, and co-wrote the charity’s theme song, Born To Ride, along with Bryan Adams writer Jim Valance.

As well as purely commercial tours, Medley also toured for the military in Bosnia and Israel.  “Someone invited me, and I thought, ‘yeah’.  Wow—it was life changing.  You go to places like that and it puts things in perspective and makes you really appreciate what we have here.”

Medley’s second CD, Inside Out, was released in 1992 and was followed by a support tour with the likes of Tom Cochrane and 54.40.  The single When The Stars Fall became a hit on album radio and reached #2 on music industry magazine The Record’s chart (being locked out of #1 only by U2).

And on it went—more tours, another single, a video, placing songs on the TV show Dawson’s Creek, more awards, including several SOCAN (the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) awards and Junos for Most Promising Vocalist and Album Art, playing at Farm Aid in Louisville, Kentucky, on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno backing up John Mellencamp, and at the Junos.

She lived in Nashville, then Bloomington, Indiana.  The move to LA happened in part because of a relationship that broke up.  “It was one of those things… he was a musician,” she says, with a rueful, memory laden laugh, adding, this time with a more cheerful laugh, that breakups provide the best songwriting material.

In that case, it was the catalyst to change locations.  “I did a tour of Australia and then returned to Vancouver to do a telethon.  I met someone there who offered to manage me.  I moved to LA because she was there.”

But a couple of years later, the wonderful ride had slowed right down.  “It was scary and downright depressing,” she says.  “Music was all I’d done since I was 15.   Imagine what it’s like when everything you’ve known and done you can’t do anymore.

“There were some very tough times.  Looking back, I can feel grateful, because it was all part of getting me back home, it was growth, but at the time it didn’t feel good.”

Difficult though this period was Medley knew she had a deep well of inner strength to connect to. “I’m a survivor; I’ve overcome a lot of obstacles.  There’s something in me that doesn’t give up.  No matter how hard it is, no matter how painful life gets, I don’t give up.  Because I know that somehow it’s going to be okay in the end,” she says.

The “okay” part of this time began when she started teaching, and culminated with her return to her roots.  Going through this challenging transition has also deepened her playing, singing and song writing, she says.

“When I play and sing now, I’m doing it from a deeper place.  You know that place, way, way deep? I feel I’ve got a direct line to it now.  Before, there was so much pressure.  I needed to sell out the show; I needed to write a certain quota of songs… now when I play, sing or write, I’m doing it because I love it.”

While the decision to move home was liberating, the move itself was challenging.  “The details of it were overwhelming.  And I’d been in the States for 19 years.  It was huge!”

And once she got home, she faced a big shock: for the first time in her life (she’s in her mid-40s) she had to get a day job.

“I’d sure worked hard before, but I’d never had a job.  A job interview?  A resume?  I’d never done any of that.  Never sat behind a desk, or stood behind a counter… no, never done anything like that in my life, ever,” she says.  “But you do what you’ve gotta do, and there’s no shame in that.”

Medley worked in catering for a while and then as administrative assistant at the Filberg Lodge.  “Those were such learning curves,” she says.

Lately, Medley has felt settled enough to put more energy into Kids Rock.  She’s already got a handful of students and recently put up a website.  She finds that in the Comox Valley, as in LA, word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool, and looks forward to a growing roster of students.

“I taught for eight years in LA and it became really clear that this is what I am supposed to be doing now,” she says.  “It was a real transformation.”

However, although Medley did become something new—a music teacher—she never stopped being what she always was—a musician.  Last December she did a three-week cross-Canada Tour, her first in a long time, as part of show called Canadian Country Christmas.  This July she attended and performed at the Vancouver Island Music Conference and then sang a few songs on the big stage at MusicFest.

She’s been writing new music and has plans to release a new CD sometime this year.  She won’t say much about the new material except that it will be more acoustic than most of her previous work, and that the songs reflect the transformation she’s been through.  And that some of what might be the strongest work on it reflects a recent break-up.

“Once I have a new CD I’ll get out there and perform more,” she says.  ”People haven’t heard the last of me—the best is yet to come!”

Her new work also reflects her joy at being home.  Soon after returning she wrote a song called My Town about the Comox Valley.  The video, accessible on YouTube, produced by local company Blue Bamboo, shows beautiful image after beautiful image of the area—eagles soaring over the tree tops, the moon rising over the mountains, the sun setting behind the ocean, children dancing at a festival, snowboarders on the mountain and more.

The song and video speak eloquently: clearly, Sue Medley has come home, and is thrilled about it.

For more information about Sue Medley and the Kids Rock program, go to www.suemedley.ca.

There is an interesting document hanging on the wall of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce’s (CVCC) boardroom on Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay. It is the original 1919 certificate of incorporation for what was then called the Courtenay Board of Trade. If you look closely, endocrinologist
you will notice that many of the 32 surnames listed on this official record are familiar to Comox Valley residents. Today, prosthetic
we may identify the names Kilpatrick, price
Simms, Willemar, Rickson, Idiens, McPhee, Guthrie and Wood—to name a few—as the names of local roads and landmarks, but they are, in fact, the names of insightful pioneers of industry and commerce for the Comox Valley.

Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Dianne Hawkins shows off their Chamber of the Year award, achieved with the help of the Chamber board and community partners, from left: Kip Keylock, Shirley de Silva, Bill Anglin, Jeff Lucas, Greg Phelps, Bruce Brautigan and Paul Ives.

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

Over the course of more than 90 years, the Board of Trade—now known as the CVCC—has been required to adapt to changing times. It has supported economic development and community collaboration through the Great Depression, the market crashes of the 1980s and today’s global economic crisis.  Despite recent trade and industry challenges—or perhaps because of them—membership in the CVCC has increased dramatically in the past five years and is currently at a record high.  If there was ever a time to “rally the troops” this is it!

Alongside the long list of new CVCC members are many who have supported the Chamber for decades. CIBC, for example, joined the Courtenay Board of Trade in 1919; Central Builders lays claim to a 50-year membership, with the exception of a short lapse in membership during a change in ownership; and Mike Finneron Pontiac-Buick (Now Hyundi) has been a member for more than 25 years.

“It is not just the local Chamber that has grown, there are now 130 Chambers of Commerce in BC,” explains CVCC’s Executive Director, Dianne Hawkins. “This is the third largest Chamber on Vancouver Island and the 10th largest in the province. Despite the fact that we have had three name changes over 91 years, our mandate remains true to the vision of our founders—to be a voice in the local community and beyond, and to promote the commercial well being of the Comox Valley.”

The ways in which the CVCC promotes our region are both varied and impressive. Its main goal is to create and sustain programs designed to help member businesses build relationships and create strategic alliances that will promote economic growth.  That said, while promoting ‘business,’ Chamber members never forget the importance of ‘community.’ It champions grassroots programs such as environmental awareness initiatives and, along with various other community partners, was one of the sponsors of the recent 30-Day Local Food Challenge.

A great example of an environmental awareness initiative is the CVCC’s Bagless Comox Valley program, launched in 2009.  This was a major undertaking that was embraced by both businesses and individuals in the community. After lengthy discussions and collaboration with retailers, CVCC secured a bulk order for 85,000 reusable shopping bags that retailers could purchase and then sell or use as giveaways. The bags, which featured the Comox Glacier on both sides, came with the option of being printed with each individual retailer’s name and logo.

“The ability to include all businesses, large and small, was imperative to the success of this program,” says Hawkins.  “As a result, an estimated 85 per cent of all local retailers participated by ordering and distributing reusable shopping bags. The project was well promoted by the Comox Valley Regional District, who are now considering a full ban on the traditional plastic shopping bags.”

An initiative of Our Big Earth, the Second Annual 30-Day Local Food Challenge, for example, encouraged Valley residents to ‘Dig in and Eat Local!’ (www.eatlocalcomoxvalley.com).  The Food Challenge is a series of hands-on workshops, tours and fun community events celebrating the agricultural sector in the Comox Valley.  More than 30 vendors representing food producers and restaurants banded together to present this event and encourage people to taste, explore, connect and learn about farmers, food producers and the people who create our food.

“Look around and you’ll see that the agricultural sector is alive and thriving in the Valley.  You can see it—sometimes you can even smell it!” says Hawkins with smile. “I think that sometimes people lose sight of the fact that farmers have always been at the core of this community and the Chamber is committed to support this and other agriculture-based initiatives.”

The CVCC, which operates the Visitor Centre out of their building in Courtenay, also forges partnerships with various community stakeholders to promote tourism and commerce in the Valley. A recent project that gained considerable media attention was sponsoring the Ghana Ski Team’s 2010 Olympic training. Hawkins worked with Sarah Nicholson, manager of Tourism Mount Washington, to find 10 Chamber members to sponsors the ‘Snow Leopard.’ This backing included extensive media coverage, team accommodation, a team vehicle for transport, and even a Tourism Vancouver Island sponsored eco-tour in the Seymour Narrows with the team and the Australian television media.

“The team was well aware that without the vision and determination of Tourism Mount Washington and the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Ghana ski team would not have had a pre-game training facility in Canada,” says Richard Harpham, team manager.

Not only did the Snow Leopard program help the Ghana ski team, it helped bring some of the thrill of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics to the Comox Valley.  Kids lined up to get Snow Leopard autographs and waved with excitement when the gaily-decorated Snow Leopard van drove by.

The Chamber is also the voice of business in the Comox Valley and effectively advocates to all levels of government on issues relevant to the local business community.  In 2009, for example, CVCC made formal presentations to both the Town of Comox and the City of Courtenay, asking that a reduction in the property tax multiplier for business properties be considered.  They were successful in getting the multiplier reduced in Courtenay and were invited back to both councils for 2010, to ensure the issue is given due consideration for future budget discussions.

Another major initiative of the CVCC was providing input to the Regional Growth Strategy.  Working in partnership with the Cumberland Chamber of Commerce, The Comox Valley Regional District, Comox Valley Land Trust and local business leaders, CVCC drafted two working papers with specific recommendations; these are posted on their website.  The Regional Growth Strategy covers a wide range of issues, from population and demographics to affordable housing, farmland, food security, economic development, transportation, infrastructure and much more.

“The goal is to ensure that the Regional Growth Strategy takes into account a combination of our current environmental attributes and pairs it with good business practices to lead to a sustained positive business environment,” explains Hawkins.  “This is still a work in progress for the Regional District and we are very hopeful that many of our recommendations will be implemented.”

Another important aspect of the Chamber is creating an environment for members to encourage connections.  Efforts in this area are believed to be one of the major reasons for the Chamber’s growth in the last five years.  “Networking is a word that is overused—it is really about developing relationships and it is not easy to make business connections on your own,” says CVCC past president, Linda Oprica of Ascent Coaching.

“Various Chamber events provide opportunities where members actually get to speak with one another in person—it is not distant and impersonal like web-based communications.  Interacting one-on-one generates ideas for cross promotion, links people with like-minded values, and, in the end, true friendships often develop.”

The efforts of the CVCC have not gone unnoticed.  Impressed by the work the Chamber is undertaking in our community, Courtenay Mayor Greg Phelps submitted a nomination for it to be considered for the BC Chamber of the Year Award.  This nomination required the CVCC to submit extensive supporting documentation outlining some of the group’s key initiatives, as mentioned above.  In early 2010, they learned that they, along with the Greater Victoria and Langley Chambers, were finalists for this prestigious designation.  On May 29th, at a gala reception at the BC Chamber Annual General Meeting and Conference in Vancouver, the Comox Valley Chamber was presented with the award.

“While the Chamber of the Year award was given to the CVCC, it really could not have been achieved without the support of the Comox Valley as a whole,” says current CVCC president, Jeff Lucas, territory manager for Labatt Breweries on north Vancouver Island.  “Everything we do is an inclusive effort.  It was this collective support that allowed us to shine.”

The CVCC may soon have another opportunity to shine. Dianne Hawkins has been nominated for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Executive of the Year Award.  To the best of their knowledge, it is the first time anyone from Vancouver Island has been nominated for this honor.  The winner will be announced in September at a ceremony in Gatineau, Quebec.

Hawkins bubbles with enthusiasm when asked about Chamber activities, but appears humbled when one mentions the most recent nomination and her individual contribution to the recent achievements of the CVCC.

“I was born and raised in the Comox Valley and then spent 10 years working in Victoria,” Hawkins says. “When I moved back here with my family in 1989, I wanted to get involved with something that would help this community grow.  I spent the next 14 years working at Excel Career College and helped grow that small business.  In 2004, the opportunity to work at the Chamber presented itself.  I thought, ‘This is it!’  I work hard and I really love what I am doing.”

Don Sharpe, another CVCC past president and director of business operations at Mount Washington, explains that Hawkins was hired six years ago in an effort to create better credibility for the board.  “Dianne’s leadership and enthusiasm, under the direction of the Board of Directors, supported by a great staff and amazing volunteers, has resulted in the CVCC having a voice that is not only heard, but one that is listened to,” says Sharpe.

“The Chamber of Commerce makes a difference in the community. We are proud that this has been recognized on a provincial level and Dianne is well-deserving of the nomination as Executive of the Year.”

Oprica agrees.  “The BC Chamber of the Year award is justifiable recognition of the last six years of very dedicated and focused effort,” she says. “There has been a real shift in energy since Dianne was hired as the executive director.  It is important to have one key person to maintain the vision and carry it forward, but it is a cumulative effort.  We all rolled up our collective sleeves and got to work.  It was time for change and Dianne was the right person to lead the charge.” Sharpe adds that one of the key reasons for the success of the organization, especially in the past decade, is that considerable effort is now put into succession planning.  Key positions on the board change annually, which encourages new people to bring fresh ideas and energy to the various roles.  Substantial effort is also put into ensuring that each new board is diverse, representing a variety of industries and commerce. “It is important to have varied opinions and areas of expertise,” Sharpe says.

Hawkins says she likes this about the board, as it gives her a new “boss” every year. “When you work with good leaders you gain so much knowledge,” she says.  “They become mentors to me and the staff.”

For current President Jeff Lucas, the Chamber is well-situated as the voice of business in the Valley.  “I think that we are in a very fortunate position right now,” he says. “Our membership has never been stronger and there is open communication and strong dialogue between us and every governing body in the Comox Valley.

“Ten years ago we would not have been solicited for our opinion on matters such as regional planning, but we are now being consulted for our input and we are grateful for that.  Much of this is a result of our Advocacy Committee, which was formed almost three years ago.  The Chamber wanted a vehicle that could look at current events and move at a faster pace than we had historically done. With board meetings only being held once a month it was hard to react quickly when required.  With this new committee, we are not only advocating but we are effectively advocating.”

Still humble, Hawkins explains that she lives her life and does her job at the Chamber guided, in part, by the wise words of one of North America’s most highly quoted individuals, Ralph Waldo Emerson.

“Emerson said: ‘What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us’,” explains Hawkins. “To me, this means while we must honor the achievements of the past, we must also respect the views of those working with us in the present… and look forward to the future with eyes wide open and full of optimism. Who knows what the future will hold?”

The Chamber office is located at 2040 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay.

For more information about the Comox Valley Chamber, upcoming events, benefits of membership or to become a member phone 250-334-3234 or visit their webste at www.comoxvalleychamber.com.

At first glance, it’s hard to believe that the run down building advertising itself as Cumberland’s Discovery College houses an elegantly decorated space for women to get in touch with their sensual side and enjoy an incredibly intense workout at the same time. But inside, Femme Natale’s pole dancing classes are in full swing most nights of the week, offering students a mix of cardio, resistance training, dance and burlesque.

Femme Natale’s director, Natalie Fustier’s passion for fitness and empowering women is clear as she speaks about the benefits of pole dancing. “I am trying to show people the other side of pole dancing,” she says. “Yes, there are women who choose to strip while pole dancing, but I am trying to show the aerobic side of it, the gymnastic part of it. For me it is more like Cirque du Soleil.”

“I went to see Zumanity by Cirque du Soleil… it was erotic, sensual and very tasteful and I knew that was what I wanted to do with my pole dancing” Fustier adds. “It is another form of burlesque. My classes are designed to make women feel confident in themselves.”

She pauses, then adds. “When I am dancing I feel so alive, and my students feel that too.”

But pole dancing hasn’t always been Fustier’s “true love.” Growing up in Ontario, Fustier got her grounding in athletics and choreography, taking synchronized swimming, gymnastics and figure skating with her twin sister, Cynthia. “When we were growing up my sister was the athletic one,” Fustier says with a laugh as she explains that the tables have turned now that her sister teaches English in Montreal and Fustier travels there for pole dancing instruction at Alternative Fitness.

“I went to Montreal for a month to do some studying and Maiko, the owner of Alternative Fitness, wanted me to stay and become one of her instructors, but I told her that my dream was to come back here to BC and start my own studio in Cumberland because I love the community.”

Fustier moved to Cumberland 15 years ago and discovered mountain biking. She caught on quickly and it wasn’t long before she started the Dirty Skirts group ride for women and began touring the BC race circuit.

“That was a great time in my life,” she says, “but it was also frustrating. When I used to race it was hard to move up levels because there were never enough girls in my category. These races are not as well sought out by girls. I would have to call the officials up and ask if I could advance because there weren’t enough points. I would do the race and win but with only three girls in the race, I wouldn’t get the points to move on to the next level. I made it to pro-elite and then I stopped.”

The benefits of her mountain bike racing years carry through to her new profession though. She has the cardio and strength to perform the demanding pole dancing routines. Sitting across from Fustier in her Lululemon capris and a bikini top, it is hard to imagine her slender arms covered in mud and scratches ripping cross country on her mountain bike. It is possible, however, to see how pole dancing tones the entire body while strengthening and lengthening every muscle.

And it’s not just the cardio that transferred through from mountain biking, she explains, “You also have to keep your momentum going in both, and you need to loosen up. You need to become one with your bike or your pole.” But the similarities end there because, “when you pole dance you are in control,” she says. “When you are mountain biking your bike can have a mind of its own at times. The pole is always there to support you.”

Following her mountain biking adventures, Fustier opened Tarbells Café in Cumberland. After five years at the coffee shop she discovered pole dancing and knew right away that that was what she wanted to do. So she sold the shop and, with the help of her friends, renovated the space in the College and opened the doors.

She first came across pole dancing a year and a half ago at a friend’s stagette, where a woman from Campbell River had been hired to teach the party-goers how to pole dance.

“She brought her pole to the house, showed us how to do some moves and from there I got hooked on it. I bought my own pole, took it home, and started getting videos to teach myself.” Her next step was pole dancing instructor certification at Pole Dance Studios in Vancouver.

“The three day course at Pole Dance Studios was intense but fun,” Fustier says. “We were taught the moves, how to teach people, and how to lead warm ups and cool downs. The third day you have to put a routine together and teach the class. It made me realize what my weaknesses were and what I needed to work on.”

Fustier trained and performed as a belly dancer a few years ago with dancer Donna Whitford. “She has been my inspiration in dancing and gave me a big push to start this studio,” says Fustier. “I did a lot of dancing with her and got over my stage fright.”

Fustier pauses, then continues: “Unfortunately Donna got into a car accident and now she’s paralyzed. She wanted to start a belly dancing studio but got into this accident. Donna has been so amazing because she pushes me to do everything even though she can’t. She tells me to follow my heart. She is my inspiration. I couldn’t have done all this without her or my good friend Joan.”

To get a true feel for the classes, I have signed up for Femme Natale’s 6-week program for beginners. Instructor Nadyne Moldowan makes the moves look easy through a simple approach: “dedication and passion.” She came to one of Fustier’s classes to “check it out” and hasn’t missed one since. In less than a year, she has become an accomplished dancer and instructor.

Both instructors agree that the best part of their job is seeing the transformation in the women they teach. “My students walk up to me in the street and tell me that I have changed their life,” Fustier says. “At first everyone is so shy and it is amazing to see how they progress. That is my reward—seeing how beautiful they look. They come in shy and they leave as sexy felines.”

Moldowan laughs as she steps up to the pole and tells Fustier she is the perfect example of that. “You have no idea what you have unleashed,” she says. The tunes begin as Moldowan demonstrates what the beginner students will learn in their first 6 weeks. The routine, designed by Fustier, is called Cookie Jar and at first it is hard to believe that even rather awkward, timid people like me will be sassing out these moves by the end of the session.

For me, by the end of the third class things are starting to click. As each move starts to feel more natural and the muscle aches from last week’s class translate into new strengths in this week’s class, I find that I am really starting to enjoy this beautiful workout. As I look around the room at the women in the class—who range in age from 18 to 60 and all fitness levels—I can see that I am not the only one.

In addition to the new confidence and dance moves students learn, “At the end of the six week program,” Fustier says, “you get a video tape and boudoir pictures of yourself and you get to keep them for the rest of your life.”

So, what’s next for Fustier? “I really want to focus on doing shows. My next goal is to put on a show so that I can show the world how beautiful pole dancing is. I know that people think of it as…well the first thing they think of is stripping, but it’s not. It is pole fitness. Yes, you are learning a bit of sassiness, but you are learning how to be beautiful. You are getting exercise out of it. You are working on your inner core and it makes women feel so good about themselves.”

FMI call 250.218.3269.

One of the grandest and most valued elders of our community is about to celebrate a very significant birthday. Strathcona Provincial Park, this
right next to the Comox Valley, bulimics
begins commemorating its 100th year this summer.

Strathcona Park has a special significance as BC’s first Provincial Park, and the largest on Vancouver Island. Celebrations for BC Parks’ 100th anniversary in 2011 began this past July, with a Centennial Expedition retracing the footsteps of the original Discovery Expedition through the mountains that became Strathcona Park.

Much of the wilderness of the park is most easily reached from the communities of Campbell River and Gold River, but the Forbidden Plateau and Paradise Meadows areas are in our own backyard.

Just in time for the centennial, the Strathcona Wilderness Centre up at Paradise Meadows has finally been completed, and is staffed on summer weekends until mid-September. The Centre, adjacent to Mount Washington Alpine Resort’s Raven Lodge, is operated by the Strathcona Wilderness Institute, and is the starting point for nature and art walks with guest experts, and guided hikes for all levels.

The Strathcona Wilderness Institute (SWI) was founded in the mid-1990s to promote sensitive and enjoyable use of Strathcona Provincial Park.  The Wilderness Centre building, as a focal point for SWI’s programs at Paradise Meadows, was several years in the making. “When Mount Washington’s Raven Lodge was built, the resort and BC Parks had talks and decided to move the Paradise Meadows trailhead closer to the Lodge,” recalls SWI founding member Steve Smith.

Then in 2007 the Resort gave .06 hectares of land for the new park entrance and trailhead into the Meadows.  SWI set out to fund-raise for an information centre, and when Mount Washington offered a 16’x20’ building that was built for the ski area by the students of Highland School, the structure was incorporated into a building designed by Rob Wood. “This was the catalyst that really began to make things happen,” says Smith.

Throughout the coming year, BC will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of its world-renowned parks system. The ascent of Crown Mountain near Campbell River on July 29, 1910, by the Strathcona Discovery Expedition led by Price Ellison, BC Minister of Land, is considered to be the starting point that inspired the creation of BC’s Provincial Parks system.  To celebrate the anniversary, a re-enactment of the original 1910 expedition began July 22, 2010 from Campbell River and is planned to arrive in Port Alberni on August 7.

“Ellison, his 20-year-old daughter Myra and an assortment of timber cruisers, naturalists, packers and canoe men from the Cowichan First Nation were dispatched by the Premier Sir Richard McBride to explore the Strathcona Reserve and assess its suitability for a park.  Over five weeks they paddled and poled tons of supplies up the turbulent Campbell River, assailed the steep forested slopes and craggy summit of Crown Mountain and arrived triumphant in Port Alberni on August 11, 1910,” notes Philip Stone, expedition organizer and local mountaineer.

“When Ellison made his report to cabinet the result was the Strathcona Act of 1911 bringing into legislation the province’s first Provincial Park on March 1.”

The past 100 years of Strathcona Park history have been well chronicled in Beyond Nootka, written by current SWI director Lindsay Elms.  Born in Australia, Elms acquired mountaineering skills in New Zealand and then all around the world.  He worked as a Mountaineering Instructor for the Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training (COLT) program at Strathcona Park Lodge, adjacent to Strathcona Park on Buttle Lake, while continuing climbing.  Elms has climbed more than 200 of Vancouver Island’s peaks, and maintains his fitness through running, completing numerous marathons and endurance races.

Beyond Nootka, available at the Wilderness Centre, tells the tales of many of the people involved with Strathcona Park as well as the stories behind the names of many of the features.  The Park itself was named in 1911 for Donald Alexander Smith, First Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal.  Smith was a Scottish-born Canadian fur trader, financier, railroad baron and politician whose 75-year tenure with the Hudson’s Bay Company included governing for 20-plus years until his death in 1914.  Smith is also known as the man who drove ‘the last spike’ into the CPR railway connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Gwyn Sproule points out a dogwood flower to a group at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre, which offers guided hikes of the park.

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

Mount Albert Edward, prominently visible from the Wilderness Centre up at Paradise Meadows, was named for Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.  Other features visible from the Wilderness Centre were named for more local notables—Mount Elma was named for the wife of Theed Pearse, mayor of Courtenay from 1928-29.  Pearse was an avid naturalist, and in 1968 at the age of 96, self-published Birds of the Early Explorers in the Northern Pacific.  Another well-known naturalist’s name was given to an adjacent peak—Mount Allan Brooks.  First named in 1939 for Major Allan Cyril Brooks, renowned ornithologist and artist who spent part of every year at his home in Comox, this dedication was extended in 2004 to include his son, Allan Cecil Brooks, biologist, teacher, and naturalist, who moved to the Comox area in the early 1980s.

The Strathcona Park connections don’t stop there—Betty Brooks, daughter-in-law of Major Brooks, is an expert naturalist in her own right and was the first female interpreter for BC Parks.

Continuing to be active with Strathcona Park as a director with the Strathcona Wilderness Institute, Brooks is also caretaker of the Strathcona Park Important Bird Area, designated a Nationally Significant IBA.  The park is home to the core of the Vancouver Island White-tailed Ptarmigan population, a subspecies occurring only in the central montane portions of Vancouver Island.

Many directors of the Strathcona Wilderness Institute have their own personal connections to the park.  Long-time director Gerry Roberts has operated the Information Hut at Buttle Lake for more than 10 years on behalf of SWI.  Over the years he has seen visitors “from as far away as the Canary Islands, Korea, Israel, Kuwait and Nepal.

“The Buttle Hut is more than just an information centre,” says Roberts, who has been asked to provide automotive fluids, band-aids and pain relievers to hikers and park visitors.   Evan Loveless, who is also involved with the Wilderness Tourism Association as executive director, hikes frequently in the park with his family.

John Waters has climbed many peaks in the Park and is active in rock-climbing—along with his twin brother, he recorded all the climbs at Comox Lake in a recently published guide book available at the Wilderness Centre.  SWI founding member Steve Smith was originally active with the Friends of Strathcona Park, formed in the mid-1980s.

“The park has had a checkered history,” Smith notes.  “It’s like a flagship—whatever happens in Strathcona Park, then happens in other parks.  There’s been logging, mining, blockades—development is everywhere around the park.  Everybody wants a piece.  Local people have stood up for the park; we have an obligation to look after it.”

The essential role of the Institute, Smith adds, in partnership with BC Parks and the Friends of Strathcona Park, “is to serve as an interface between the Strathcona wilderness and the general public.  As a registered non-profit society, the Institute intends to facilitate a co-operative effort to assure support for continuing education and park stewardship.”

Like many elders, the Park is an excellent teacher.  The setting is a magnificent classroom, whether for natural history subjects such as flowers, birds, insects, trees, and geology, or human endeavors such as art, photography, hiking and mountaineering.

Local naturalists including Betty Brooks and Gwyn Sproule recently guided nature walks on Spring Flora & Fauna and Ethnobotany in the meadows, attended by Valley residents and visitors from as far as Switzerland.  Botanist Fred Constabel will guide an outing looking for mid-summer flowers on Sunday, August 8.   Forester Harold Macy will explore the working of an individual tree and the collective energy of the forest on Sunday, August 22.

Members of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society and the Comox District Mountaineering Club have volunteered to guide a number of day hikes into the meadows and Plateau area.  SWI has also partnered with Island Alpine Guides to offer multi-day expeditions for those who want to upgrade their mountaineering skills with an expert guide.

On the ‘Castlecrag Circuit’ from September 4-6, participants can take in three summits on a spectacular circumnavigation.  “From a base camp at Circlet Lake we do a day long circle walk carrying only light day packs,” says Jan Neuspiel, guide with Island Alpine and lead forecaster for the Vancouver Island Avalanche Centre.  “We reach the summits of Mount Albert Edward, Mount Frink and Castle Crag, then return to base camp and walk out on our third day.  Participants need only to be reasonably fit to carry an overnight pack to and from the base camp, with the peak day being done with a light day pack.”  There is a fee for this excursion—interested participants are asked to register directly with Island Alpine Guides by August 14.

By September, the autumn colors in the meadows inspire photographers and artists of all kinds.  Cumberland watercolor artist Clive Powsey will lead a three-hour excursion into the meadows on Sunday September 5:  Image Hunting with Pencils and Brushes.  “Bring the media of your choice,” advises Powsey.  “We will spend time looking for exciting subject matter to paint or draw; how to compose an image of interest; how to measure proportions and angles; how to design with light and shade.”

As a landscape painter, Powsey is greatly inspired by Strathcona Park.  “I recognize all the content of beautiful and terrifying nineteenth century landscape paintings in the park’s geography,” he says.  “Plunging chasms, falls, glaciers with crevasses and icefalls, landslides and  avalanches, thick vapors and precipitation, rock faced valleys and rugged peaks—there is enough topography in the park to spend a full and rewarding lifetime of exploration, hiking and climbing, or painting.

“It’s amazing how the Park has survived, despite damage, for a hundred years,” Powsey adds.  “I hope the next 100 years will see it become more, not less pristine, with areas of damage and road intrusion eliminated and naturalized.  As well, I think it would be valuable to expand the park and its alpine and high elevation forests up and down the central core of the Island to preserve other watersheds and create wildlife corridors.  Keeping and expanding the central alpine core of Vancouver Island within the park in a pristine state will be of great value to future Island residents for recreation, as a natural wildlife reservoir and also for water quality and conservation.

“Any time you find yourself on a park peak with a view, no matter how modest, and find yourself looking into or out of the interior of Vancouver Island—that moment is the most memorable moment spent in Strathcona,” Powsey says.  “I like living in Cumberland on the edge of the park.  I can, and often do, walk right into it—it is nice to think that I could exit the house, don a pack and walk for days and days on ridges criss-crossing central Vancouver Island.”

Looking for interesting photographic subjects and compositions, nature photographer Chris Carter will be guiding Great Photo-Ops in Paradise Meadows’ on Sunday September 12.  Participants do not need a camera—Carter will hand out mat-board framing guides for participants to use, to identify possible shots.

He recalls how the park contributed inspiration to his photography. “In the late 1970s I had lived in the Comox Valley for several years, but had been so busy starting a new business that I was unaware of the extent or magnitude of Strathcona Park,” he says.  “As my business grew, I made a sales trip to Alaska and flew from Seattle to Anchorage.  I obtained a window seat and was enjoying the view approaching Vancouver Island.  Looking down I could pick out Nanaimo and the East coast. Then to my surprise, mountains, ice fields and glaciers appeared beneath us.  What was this?  This was a view I had never seen before and the extent of Strathcona Park and terrain excited and interested me.”

Carter decided to find out more and joined the Comox District Mountaineering Club (CDMC).  “My youngest son was still at home and became a willing hiking companion on many Club hikes as I experienced more of the park,” he says.  “The next milestone on my Strathcona experience was the government’s attempts to convert swaths of the park into recreational areas—a thinly veiled description of opening the park to miners and logging.

“At the time I was still a British citizen but became so incensed over the issue that I took out Canadian citizenship so I could vote in BC.  I remember the period of great activity when the Friends of Strathcona was formed and went on to vigorously defend park status.”

Carter also contributed hands-on work, participating in the CDMC volunteer construction project of the Lake Helen Mackenzie campsite.  “Presently I am saddened at the slow progress being made to up-grade and restore some of the popular trails beyond the Paradise Meadows area,” he says.  “I am perplexed and deeply disappointed that Parks seem unable to work with volunteers to get some of this work done. This example of the bureaucratic ‘Death of Common Sense’ saddens me.”

Examples of Carter’s work adorn the walls of the Wilderness Centre.  “In more recent years my interest in photography increased and I have spent many happy hours exploring and photographing in all seasons,” he says.  “In the last three years I have completed a portfolio of winter scenes in black and white, taken while snowshoeing. Part of this was published by LensWork Magazine in their digital supplement.”

He will show prints of what he has done in the area prior to his photography walk on September 12.  The lower floor of the Wilderness Centre building is ideal for such presentations, as well as workshops or talks for community organizations and school groups, containing a screen for presentations and seating for 30 people.  The lower floor is also available for day rentals during the summer season.

“We are now proud to say the building—both floors—is now fully completed and ready for use this year, just one year before Strathcona Park’s 100th birthday!” says Steve Smith.  “A perfect gift for BC’s first provincial park.”

Smith sees the next years as an important period for the park. “What is going to happen in the next 100 years? It’s an interesting time. The building was a struggle—but it’s all still a struggle. The pressures are on, but this park is a treasure.”

For the full schedule of SWI summer programs at the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre at Paradise Meadows, visit: www.strathconapark.org

Vancouver Island’s newest micro goat dairy is located on Holiday Road in Fanny Bay.  Unless you knew that fact, artificial
you could easily drive by the Snap Dragon Goat Dairy and be unaware that it was there.

Karen Fouracre, along with her partner Jaki Ayton, runs Snap Dragon Goat Dairy in Fanny Bay.

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

Karen Fouracre and Jaki Ayton have been developing their compact 1.6 acre farm for the last 14 years.  A mixed farming operation, they raise hogs for meat, goats for milk, and chickens for eggs.  There are gardens and a 40-foot greenhouse in the front yard.  Peach, pear, cherry, apple and plum trees are sprinkled around the property.  Behind the house you’ll find various small buildings, the new milking parlor, several paddocks and pastures.

Over the years they have tried raising ducks, turkeys, sheep, rabbits, peacocks and cows to see what works best for them and their property.  Goats have been part of the herd from the start.  In addition to providing milk, the goats have contributed to Ayton and Fouracre’s recreation opportunities and extended their network of friends.

Ayton shows some of the purebred Toggenberg goats at the summer fairs.  One of them, La Mountain Dutchess, is very close to achieving permanent grand champion status.  Both women are active in local 4-H Club activities giving goat care workshops and assisting as judges.  “They can’t have the parents sitting in on their kid’s presentation; they need spare adults to come,” says Fouracre.  “They do some amazing presentations, it is the most fun, and it is really entertaining.  They put a lot of work into it.  So it has really enriched our lives.”

The idea to establish a micro dairy came when David Wood, the owner of the Salt Spring Island Cheese Company, approached the Vancouver Island Goat Association (VIGA) last fall looking for milk from Island producers.  He was buying milk in the Fraser Valley and wanted to find sources closer to home.  As members of the VIGA, Fouracre and Ayton heard of the enquiry and they immediately began to investigate whether or not they could start a dairy.  Selling their milk to the cheese company would provide them with a way to offset the costs of keeping their ever-growing goat herd.

“I have quite a few goats now and quite a few purebreds and they’re not cheap,” says Ayton.  “We did some stats for the Vancouver Island Goat Association a couple of years ago and it is about $750 per year to keep an adult female goat.”

Logistically it worked because Salt Spring Island Cheese was already purchasing sheep’s milk from a farm in Black Creek, thus making a Fanny Bay stop convenient.  High start up costs had always been a stumbling block to the idea of setting up a dairy.  Cow dairies have setup costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Also, the milk marketing board establishes quotas that can be both difficult and expensive to purchase.  They discovered that the small number of goat dairies in BC makes quotas unnecessary thus leaving the question of the start up costs.  “We got a tour of the sheep dairy,” says Fouracre.  “The fellow was very nice and let us come and take a look.  He has a very simple operation and we went and looked at it and said we can do this.”

They have decided to milk 14 of their 33 goat herd.  Most of the commercial goat dairies in BC have herds of 200-500 animals.  The approximately 300 litres of milk per week that Snap Dragon will produce would be the equivalent of a large dairy’s single day output.  However, that amount of output spread over the eight months of the year that they will sell to Salt Spring Island Cheese should achieve the objective of “getting the girls to pay for themselves.”

In order to get licensed as a Grade A dairy, Fouracre and Ayton had to absorb the very detailed regulations of the BC Dairy code and build to its strict specifications.   “It was a matter of finding people who could help us out,” explains Ayton of how they approached the task.  “Island Dairy Products is the guy who services all the big dairies.  So we phoned Lawrence, we talked to him.  He’s been a really good resource.  We talked to Gerald Smith who has a sheep dairy and asked him tons of questions.  I talked to some of the big goat dairy people on the mainland, and just asking questions, reading it, checking, emailing the BC licensing place back and forth, etc.”  In the Fanny Bay community they found many people to help them, including retired dairyman and neighbor Glenn Plewis, who assisted with contacts to source the various components needed.

“One of the hardest things is to do was find a dairy tank that was small enough,” says Fouracre.  Adds Ayton: “Getting the equipment small enough has been expensive.  Everything is very big.  There is commercial stuff that is big or there is specialty stuff that is completely out of line expensive.”

It took three months to find a dairy tank that would work.  They finally found one in the Fraser Valley—at 1,000 litres it is bigger than they need but the smallest they could find.  Karen had to significantly modify the plans for the milking parlor/processing building in order to make it fit.  In order to meet the goal of shipping milk in May, many of their friends and Holiday Road neighbors have been called upon to assist with their expertise and a helping hand.  They are most appreciative of all the assistance they have received and they look forward to paying it back with their own labor.  “We’ve had friends, three or four times now, we’ve had anywhere from two to seven of them show up for a day and help us build,” says Fouracre.

A goat.

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

On May 10 their dairy dream became a reality when Salt Spring Island Cheese owner David Wood came to help pick up the first shipment of milk.  Wood, originally from Scotland, moved to Toronto in 1973 to work as executive director of Pollution Probe.  His entrepreneurial endeavors prior to establishing Salt Spring Island Cheese in 1994 included Solartech, a renewable energy company, and, the David Wood Food Shop, which by 1989 included three Toronto stores and a catering division.  Salt Spring Island Cheese specializes in handmade goat and sheep cheeses.

Fouracre and Ayton are pleased to share their knowledge of raising goats and how to approach setting up a micro dairy.  “If you are going to start with animals, join all the animal clubs first,” says Fouracre.  “Then get your animals.”

Ayton agrees.  “It’s like getting a dog.  You want to know the community, know the breeders, get the history and background and then start spending large quantities of money.”

Mastering the art of animal husbandry is their number one recommendation for anyone thinking of setting up a dairy.  Get to know your animals and how to care for them.  This will keep them healthy, which will ensure a good product and will keep the vet bills down. They are very proud of the fact that their goats have nice personalities and, on average, they live to be about 24 years of age.  The average life span for a goat is about 15 years.

Another tip from Fouracre:  “Keep the farm clean and tidy because if you don’t, you’ll have a vet bill.  If there is something lying around that shouldn’t be there, you should move it.  Either that or it is going to be tripped over, stepped on or swallowed.

“One thing we learned early is there is no such thing as tomorrow,” she adds.  “There’s no such thing as later either—we’ll do it later.  It’s like, okay, that fence is looking wobbly.  No, you fix it now!  Whatever you were doing you fix the fence now.  Or you’re searching for the goats later, or you’re getting up because they’re in the garage and they’re in the feed.  Or, the buck is breeding the does you didn’t want bred, you know!  When all you had to do was stop for 20 minutes, get the nails and the hammer and fix the fence.  But you didn’t do that so now you’ve got this!”

Ayton outlines some of the essential elements for setting up a dairy:  “Estimate high on all your expenses—we had a business plan and a business plan budget.  There are a couple of really good ones online and we went through and figured it out,” she says.  “I know our price point of how much each goat has to produce per day.  Each one has to produce a good amount of milk, we can’t have loafers.  And you have to be willing to be a farmer, which means cull.  And cull to us means kill.  It means different things to different people.  You have to be willing to look at your herd and say. ‘Okay that one’s no good; they have to go to the butcher.’  I mean you love them to death, like the babies, you get lots of babies every year, you can’t keep them all.  And that’s just part of the animal part of it.  Seeing these are the good ones, these aren’t good ones.  Taking the time to figure it out and then getting rid of the ones that aren’t productive.”

Fouracre agrees, adding, “That took a long time to learn.  That is a whole mind set that took two or three or four years to start thinking that way; to actually be able to do it.”

Adds Ayton:  “Most people only have goats for four years, because they’re not farmers and they don’t get rid of them.  If you start with two goats you can have 15 in four years if you don’t get rid of them.”

The women have obviously worked hard to learn all the necessary parts of farming.  Listening to them describe their dairy and how they take care of their animals it is easy to assume that farming is in their background.  In fact, says Ayton, it took some years to learn how to view their goats like farmers.  “I wasn’t raised on a farm; I grew up in a townhouse.  We’re not farmers by birth.”

But they are now dedicated farmers by choice.  Ayton still works off the farm in public health but with the launch of the dairy, Fouracre is now working at home full time.  In addition to her dairy chores, she will also be selling produce, flowers, eggs, fruit and hand-drawn art cards from a farm stall.   They love what they do and where they live.  They also love sharing the experience with others.  This past April they held their second “Open Farm Day” where anyone interested was invited to visit the farm and see the animals up close.  Donations are collected to go to YANA and it also serves as a form of self-preservation.

“It’s just for fun,” says Ayton.  “Everyone wants to come and see the babies.  They want to see the farm and see the goats, so we open the farm.  We have so many people who want to come and see the babies we figured we better designate a day, otherwise you don’t get anything done.”

Watch for their ads next year so you don’t miss the chance to visit these two interesting women and see this most unique micro dairy operation.

One of the grandest and most valued elders of our community is about to celebrate a very significant birthday. Strathcona Provincial Park, women’s health
right next to the Comox Valley, begins commemorating its 100th year this summer.

Strathcona Park has a special significance as BC’s first Provincial Park, and the largest on Vancouver Island. Celebrations for BC Parks’ 100th anniversary in 2011 began this past July, with a Centennial Expedition retracing the footsteps of the original Discovery Expedition through the mountains that became Strathcona Park.

Much of the wilderness of the park is most easily reached from the communities of Campbell River and Gold River, but the Forbidden Plateau and Paradise Meadows areas are in our own backyard.

Just in time for the centennial, the Strathcona Wilderness Centre up at Paradise Meadows has finally been completed, and is staffed on summer weekends until mid-September. The Centre, adjacent to Mount Washington Alpine Resort’s Raven Lodge, is operated by the Strathcona Wilderness Institute, and is the starting point for nature and art walks with guest experts, and guided hikes for all levels.

The Strathcona Wilderness Institute (SWI) was founded in the mid-1990s to promote sensitive and enjoyable use of Strathcona Provincial Park.  The Wilderness Centre building, as a focal point for SWI’s programs at Paradise Meadows, was several years in the making. “When Mount Washington’s Raven Lodge was built, the resort and BC Parks had talks and decided to move the Paradise Meadows trailhead closer to the Lodge,” recalls SWI founding member Steve Smith.

Then in 2007 the Resort gave .06 hectares of land for the new park entrance and trailhead into the Meadows.  SWI set out to fund-raise for an information centre, and when Mount Washington offered a 16’x20’ building that was built for the ski area by the students of Highland School, the structure was incorporated into a building designed by Rob Wood. “This was the catalyst that really began to make things happen,” says Smith.

Throughout the coming year, BC will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of its world-renowned parks system. The ascent of Crown Mountain near Campbell River on July 29, 1910, by the Strathcona Discovery Expedition led by Price Ellison, BC Minister of Land, is considered to be the starting point that inspired the creation of BC’s Provincial Parks system.  To celebrate the anniversary, a re-enactment of the original 1910 expedition began July 22, 2010 from Campbell River and is planned to arrive in Port Alberni on August 7.

“Ellison, his 20-year-old daughter Myra and an assortment of timber cruisers, naturalists, packers and canoe men from the Cowichan First Nation were dispatched by the Premier Sir Richard McBride to explore the Strathcona Reserve and assess its suitability for a park.  Over five weeks they paddled and poled tons of supplies up the turbulent Campbell River, assailed the steep forested slopes and craggy summit of Crown Mountain and arrived triumphant in Port Alberni on August 11, 1910,” notes Philip Stone, expedition organizer and local mountaineer.

“When Ellison made his report to cabinet the result was the Strathcona Act of 1911 bringing into legislation the province’s first Provincial Park on March 1.”

The past 100 years of Strathcona Park history have been well chronicled in Beyond Nootka, written by current SWI director Lindsay Elms.  Born in Australia, Elms acquired mountaineering skills in New Zealand and then all around the world.  He worked as a Mountaineering Instructor for the Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training (COLT) program at Strathcona Park Lodge, adjacent to Strathcona Park on Buttle Lake, while continuing climbing.  Elms has climbed more than 200 of Vancouver Island’s peaks, and maintains his fitness through running, completing numerous marathons and endurance races.

Beyond Nootka, available at the Wilderness Centre, tells the tales of many of the people involved with Strathcona Park as well as the stories behind the names of many of the features.  The Park itself was named in 1911 for Donald Alexander Smith, First Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal.  Smith was a Scottish-born Canadian fur trader, financier, railroad baron and politician whose 75-year tenure with the Hudson’s Bay Company included governing for 20-plus years until his death in 1914.  Smith is also known as the man who drove ‘the last spike’ into the CPR railway connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Gwyn Sproule points out a dogwood flower to a group at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre, which offers guided hikes of the park.

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

Mount Albert Edward, prominently visible from the Wilderness Centre up at Paradise Meadows, was named for Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.  Other features visible from the Wilderness Centre were named for more local notables—Mount Elma was named for the wife of Theed Pearse, mayor of Courtenay from 1928-29.  Pearse was an avid naturalist, and in 1968 at the age of 96, self-published Birds of the Early Explorers in the Northern Pacific.  Another well-known naturalist’s name was given to an adjacent peak—Mount Allan Brooks.  First named in 1939 for Major Allan Cyril Brooks, renowned ornithologist and artist who spent part of every year at his home in Comox, this dedication was extended in 2004 to include his son, Allan Cecil Brooks, biologist, teacher, and naturalist, who moved to the Comox area in the early 1980s.

The Strathcona Park connections don’t stop there—Betty Brooks, daughter-in-law of Major Brooks, is an expert naturalist in her own right and was the first female interpreter for BC Parks.

Continuing to be active with Strathcona Park as a director with the Strathcona Wilderness Institute, Brooks is also caretaker of the Strathcona Park Important Bird Area, designated a Nationally Significant IBA.  The park is home to the core of the Vancouver Island White-tailed Ptarmigan population, a subspecies occurring only in the central montane portions of Vancouver Island.

Many directors of the Strathcona Wilderness Institute have their own personal connections to the park.  Long-time director Gerry Roberts has operated the Information Hut at Buttle Lake for more than 10 years on behalf of SWI.  Over the years he has seen visitors “from as far away as the Canary Islands, Korea, Israel, Kuwait and Nepal.

“The Buttle Hut is more than just an information centre,” says Roberts, who has been asked to provide automotive fluids, band-aids and pain relievers to hikers and park visitors.   Evan Loveless, who is also involved with the Wilderness Tourism Association as executive director, hikes frequently in the park with his family.

John Waters has climbed many peaks in the Park and is active in rock-climbing—along with his twin brother, he recorded all the climbs at Comox Lake in a recently published guide book available at the Wilderness Centre.  SWI founding member Steve Smith was originally active with the Friends of Strathcona Park, formed in the mid-1980s.

“The park has had a checkered history,” Smith notes.  “It’s like a flagship—whatever happens in Strathcona Park, then happens in other parks.  There’s been logging, mining, blockades—development is everywhere around the park.  Everybody wants a piece.  Local people have stood up for the park; we have an obligation to look after it.”

The essential role of the Institute, Smith adds, in partnership with BC Parks and the Friends of Strathcona Park, “is to serve as an interface between the Strathcona wilderness and the general public.  As a registered non-profit society, the Institute intends to facilitate a co-operative effort to assure support for continuing education and park stewardship.”

Like many elders, the Park is an excellent teacher.  The setting is a magnificent classroom, whether for natural history subjects such as flowers, birds, insects, trees, and geology, or human endeavors such as art, photography, hiking and mountaineering.

Local naturalists including Betty Brooks and Gwyn Sproule recently guided nature walks on Spring Flora & Fauna and Ethnobotany in the meadows, attended by Valley residents and visitors from as far as Switzerland.  Botanist Fred Constabel will guide an outing looking for mid-summer flowers on Sunday, August 8.   Forester Harold Macy will explore the working of an individual tree and the collective energy of the forest on Sunday, August 22.

Members of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society and the Comox District Mountaineering Club have volunteered to guide a number of day hikes into the meadows and Plateau area.  SWI has also partnered with Island Alpine Guides to offer multi-day expeditions for those who want to upgrade their mountaineering skills with an expert guide.

On the ‘Castlecrag Circuit’ from September 4-6, participants can take in three summits on a spectacular circumnavigation.  “From a base camp at Circlet Lake we do a day long circle walk carrying only light day packs,” says Jan Neuspiel, guide with Island Alpine and lead forecaster for the Vancouver Island Avalanche Centre.  “We reach the summits of Mount Albert Edward, Mount Frink and Castle Crag, then return to base camp and walk out on our third day.  Participants need only to be reasonably fit to carry an overnight pack to and from the base camp, with the peak day being done with a light day pack.”  There is a fee for this excursion—interested participants are asked to register directly with Island Alpine Guides by August 14.

By September, the autumn colors in the meadows inspire photographers and artists of all kinds.  Cumberland watercolor artist Clive Powsey will lead a three-hour excursion into the meadows on Sunday September 5:  Image Hunting with Pencils and Brushes.  “Bring the media of your choice,” advises Powsey.  “We will spend time looking for exciting subject matter to paint or draw; how to compose an image of interest; how to measure proportions and angles; how to design with light and shade.”

As a landscape painter, Powsey is greatly inspired by Strathcona Park.  “I recognize all the content of beautiful and terrifying nineteenth century landscape paintings in the park’s geography,” he says.  “Plunging chasms, falls, glaciers with crevasses and icefalls, landslides and  avalanches, thick vapors and precipitation, rock faced valleys and rugged peaks—there is enough topography in the park to spend a full and rewarding lifetime of exploration, hiking and climbing, or painting.

“It’s amazing how the Park has survived, despite damage, for a hundred years,” Powsey adds.  “I hope the next 100 years will see it become more, not less pristine, with areas of damage and road intrusion eliminated and naturalized.  As well, I think it would be valuable to expand the park and its alpine and high elevation forests up and down the central core of the Island to preserve other watersheds and create wildlife corridors.  Keeping and expanding the central alpine core of Vancouver Island within the park in a pristine state will be of great value to future Island residents for recreation, as a natural wildlife reservoir and also for water quality and conservation.

“Any time you find yourself on a park peak with a view, no matter how modest, and find yourself looking into or out of the interior of Vancouver Island—that moment is the most memorable moment spent in Strathcona,” Powsey says.  “I like living in Cumberland on the edge of the park.  I can, and often do, walk right into it—it is nice to think that I could exit the house, don a pack and walk for days and days on ridges criss-crossing central Vancouver Island.”

Looking for interesting photographic subjects and compositions, nature photographer Chris Carter will be guiding Great Photo-Ops in Paradise Meadows’ on Sunday September 12.  Participants do not need a camera—Carter will hand out mat-board framing guides for participants to use, to identify possible shots.

He recalls how the park contributed inspiration to his photography. “In the late 1970s I had lived in the Comox Valley for several years, but had been so busy starting a new business that I was unaware of the extent or magnitude of Strathcona Park,” he says.  “As my business grew, I made a sales trip to Alaska and flew from Seattle to Anchorage.  I obtained a window seat and was enjoying the view approaching Vancouver Island.  Looking down I could pick out Nanaimo and the East coast. Then to my surprise, mountains, ice fields and glaciers appeared beneath us.  What was this?  This was a view I had never seen before and the extent of Strathcona Park and terrain excited and interested me.”

Carter decided to find out more and joined the Comox District Mountaineering Club (CDMC).  “My youngest son was still at home and became a willing hiking companion on many Club hikes as I experienced more of the park,” he says.  “The next milestone on my Strathcona experience was the government’s attempts to convert swaths of the park into recreational areas—a thinly veiled description of opening the park to miners and logging.

“At the time I was still a British citizen but became so incensed over the issue that I took out Canadian citizenship so I could vote in BC.  I remember the period of great activity when the Friends of Strathcona was formed and went on to vigorously defend park status.”

Carter also contributed hands-on work, participating in the CDMC volunteer construction project of the Lake Helen Mackenzie campsite.  “Presently I am saddened at the slow progress being made to up-grade and restore some of the popular trails beyond the Paradise Meadows area,” he says.  “I am perplexed and deeply disappointed that Parks seem unable to work with volunteers to get some of this work done. This example of the bureaucratic ‘Death of Common Sense’ saddens me.”

Examples of Carter’s work adorn the walls of the Wilderness Centre.  “In more recent years my interest in photography increased and I have spent many happy hours exploring and photographing in all seasons,” he says.  “In the last three years I have completed a portfolio of winter scenes in black and white, taken while snowshoeing. Part of this was published by LensWork Magazine in their digital supplement.”

He will show prints of what he has done in the area prior to his photography walk on September 12.  The lower floor of the Wilderness Centre building is ideal for such presentations, as well as workshops or talks for community organizations and school groups, containing a screen for presentations and seating for 30 people.  The lower floor is also available for day rentals during the summer season.

“We are now proud to say the building—both floors—is now fully completed and ready for use this year, just one year before Strathcona Park’s 100th birthday!” says Steve Smith.  “A perfect gift for BC’s first provincial park.”

Smith sees the next years as an important period for the park. “What is going to happen in the next 100 years? It’s an interesting time. The building was a struggle—but it’s all still a struggle. The pressures are on, but this park is a treasure.”

For the full schedule of SWI summer programs at the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre at Paradise Meadows, visit: www.strathconapark.org

This summer Island Gourmet Trails launched the Comox Valley’s first culinary tour operation.  Designed to “immerse the participant in the local culture and reveal the Island’s true spirit, therapy
” the custom-made tours will take you to visit a wide variety of local food and beverage producers.  The business is the creation of Gaetane Palardy, see
a Montreal-born chef and educator who moved to the Comox Valley in June, 2008.

According to Palardy, your tour might start with a stroll through a bustling farmer’s market, then visit a world-renowned cheese factory. Maybe you will roll up your sleeves to create traditional artisan pasta.

You might wander over to an oyster or scallop farm, head down to the docks to meet the fishermen coming in with the day’s catch or have a gourmet picnic. Later, you might choose to meander through an organic berry or vegetable patch.  One thing’s for sure, you will experience the taste of Vancouver Island.

“This project is combining my experience in food and tourism and education.  It is kind of a mix of all my previous experience and my love for discovering things, including discovering back roads,” says Palardy, noting that the roots of her interest in food began at home.

“I have always been interested in food,” she says.  “Going back to my earliest memories, I remember watching my mother cook, bake, preserve and entertain.  These experiences, along with helping my family grow and harvest our own food, inspired me.”

“This project is combining my experience in food and tourism and education,” says Gaetane Palardy, leading her group for a tour of Beaufort Vineyard and Estate Winery. “I have always been interested in food.”

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

Her formal entry into the food world began with her professional cooking certificate from Institut de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie du Québec (Quebec Tourism and Hotel Institute), one of Canada’s leading chef training facilities.  Her resume includes work in the kitchens of many fine hotels, including the ultra-luxurious Mandarin Hotel in Vancouver.

Palardy moved to Vancouver to work as part of the team being assembled for the Hotel Vancouver’s Roof Restaurant during Expo ‘86.  This contract, which she expected to last six months and help her to improve her English, turned out to be a permanent move to British Columbia and a pivotal point that would later lead her to the Comox Valley.

At the Roof Restaurant Palardy worked with chef Ronald St. Pierre and became friends with him and his then new girlfriend, Tricia.   Once Tricia and Ronald settled in the Comox Valley, Palardy visited often, sowing the seeds for her eventual decision to move here.   The three long-time friends have worked together to develop the business idea of a Comox Valley culinary tour operation.  The St. Pierres’ restaurant, Locals, is a certified BC Culinary Tourism Association destination.  The Courtenay restaurant opened in 2008 and specializes in providing a unique dining experience utilizing “Food from the Heart of the Valley”.

In addition to the restaurant industry, Palardy has also spent a number of years working in education.  She had returned to work at the Hotel Vancouver in 1989 but, as she explains, over the next 10 years she found her focus was shifting.  “I wanted to go into teaching because in my job as a sous chef at the hotel I was doing a lot of work with the apprentices and training.  So I took some education courses and got my provincial adult education instructor diploma.”  That diploma led her to move to Prince George, where she taught culinary arts at the College of New Caledonia for eight years.

Combined with her work skills Palardy adds her own experience as a traveller to her creation of a tourism product on Vancouver Island.  “When I travel, I enjoy visiting local food markets, from going to the fish auction in Sydney, Australia, visiting the spice souk of Dubai, the date market in Abu Dhabi or taking a Cajun cooking class in New Orleans. Food always gives the tone to my trips.”

Palardy elaborates on one particular experience that made her think about providing a similar tour back home:  “When I went to Australia, there is the Victoria Market in Melbourne and there was a guided tour of the market.  And I thought ‘Gee, that’s a neat idea.  We should have that in BC.’  I lived in Vancouver at the time and I was thinking of Granville Island and thinking maybe one day I’ll do that.”

Thus it is no surprise that the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market is featured in Island Gourmet Trails’ tours.  The Saturday morning market is the launching point for the half day Taste of the Comox Valley tour.  After breakfast, coffee and a guided tour of the market, where you’ll meet the vendors, the tour takes you to the Beaufort Vineyard and Estate Winery and the Blue Moon Estate Winery to meet the owners and sample their products.

Custom-made tours running on Wednesday are very likely to stop at the afternoon Farmers’ Market.  The range of options for the custom tours is extensive as the Valley has hundreds of farms and a growing list of interesting food and beverage producers.  In addition to land-based farms, tours can include oyster and scallop producers, bakeries, cheese and chocolate makers, coffee roasters, cafes and restaurants.

Culinary tourism is a new but growing concept and thus, in mid-July, Island Gourmet Trails, in collaboration with Locals Restaurant, provided an opportunity for local media and tourism operators to experience a day-long culinary tour.  From the moment I read the itinerary my curiosity and taste buds were stimulated.

Our day began at Rhodos Coffee Roasting Company in Courtenay; we then boarded a van to visit Surgenor Brewing and Aquatec Seafood in Comox, then were on to Nature’s Way Farm north of Courtenay, which also encompasses Blue Moon Estate Fruit Winery and Tria Culinary Studio.  After a lovely picnic lunch of local foods we travelled south to Island View Lavender in Union Bay and Royston’s Innisfree Farm and Royston Roasting Company.  We concluded our excursion with an exquisite dinner at Locals Restaurant in Courtenay.

It was a superb introduction to culinary touring that included interesting conversations with the various company’s owners and staff and generous samplings of their products.  Palardy was a knowledgeable and entertaining guide who thoughtfully provided us with everything we needed—from background information, to water, sun screen and an umbrella for shade.  Tricia St. Pierre took care of the driving so Palardy could concentrate on providing commentary.

We learned a tremendous amount about each place; the following are simply some of my highlights: Discovering that Rhodos Coffee Roasting Company not only serves great organic Fair Trade coffee but also makes their own gelato.  One popular flavor is created using Island View Lavender.  Bob Surgenor’s sense of humor made for a wonderful visit filled with laughter.  Surgenor Brewery makes great beer and their newest, In Seine Pale Ale, is delicious.  Aquatec Seafood is a 35-year old family-run business that provides visitors and locals with a custom fish processing and shipping service.  We happily sampled their various award-winning smoked salmon products at the Hooked on Seafood retail store.

Marla Limousin describes their combined operations as “food, farm and wine under one roof.”  Limousin runs Natures’ Way Farm, her husband George Ehrler takes care of operations at the Blue Moon Estate Winery, and chef Kathy Jerritt offers cooking classes, catering and private dinners in the Tria Culinary Studio.  The studio is a very inviting kitchen and dining area adjacent to the wine shop/farm gate store.  It was with great sadness that we learned that the monthly Full Moon Feasts are already sold out for 2010.  Our sadness was soon turned to joy as we toured the fields and Marla invited us to eat as many tay berries—a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry—as we liked.

I think it is safe to say that Innisfree Farm dispelled any stereotypes that we may have had about farms.  Thierry Vrain and his partner Chanchal Cabrera bought the property about five years ago and they are well on the way to transforming it into a must see culinary/agri-tourism destination.  They are combining vegetable, fruit, nut and Christmas tree cultivation with horticultural therapy, medicinal herb production, apprenticeship and seed saver programs, and one of BC’s largest labyrinths planted in Blue Fescue grasses.

The afternoon got even more relaxing when we stopped at Island View Lavender in Union Bay.  Owner Kathleen Kinasewich began by telling us about her house, the oldest home in Union Bay.  She then walked us through the A to Z of lavender species, 22 of which she grows.  Kathleen also offers a unique living mandala workshop, where participants create succulent wreaths.  We all left happy with a lovely bouquet of fresh picked lavender.

Gary and Dyan Spink were wrapping up a very busy day greeting people partaking in the 30 Day Food Challenge, but they happily put on a new pot of coffee and gave us a tour of their facilities.  The Royston Roasting Company makes four types of coffee and specializes in custom labeling orders for businesses or personal gift giving.  Their elegant Ozturk roaster imported from Turkey gives the small facility an aura of serious coffee buzz.

Chef Ronald St. Pierre has been working in the Comox Valley for 20 years but Locals Restaurant is his first solo venture.   In two short years it has gained a reputation for excellence that is now being discovered across the country—they were recently featured in Where to Eat in Canada.  This notoriety comes as no surprise to our group, who was treated to a fantastic three course meal featuring local fish, produce, pasta and fruit.

Palardy explains why Locals is a natural fit with her tours:  “I like to take my visitors to their restaurant because they commit themselves to showcase local producers, the same ones where I take my visitors,” she says.  “There’s nothing better than trying a scallop dish when we visited the Island Scallops in the afternoon, or finishing the meal with a lavender gelato using the lavender of Island View Lavender Farm.”

One thing stood out for all of us—the Island Gourmet Trails culinary tours would suit both visitors and locals wishing to be tourists in their own region.

“It’s opened my eyes,” says Sarah Nicholson from Tourism Mount Washington.  “I think we are all very blasé at times and living in an area and not experiencing it, but we have some incredible hidden gems in the Valley.  I would strongly recommend anybody doing this tour.  It’s ideal for all ages, there is something for everybody, and the really great aspect is they can be custom designed.”

Al Morton, a volunteer with the Comox Valley Visitor Centre, particularly enjoyed hearing people’s stories.  “I guess the biggest thing is the interesting people that I met.  I mean we’ve really run into a lot of very interesting people, in many cases it seems to be a secondary career or third thing they’ve done.  They all have these interesting backgrounds.”

Linda Oprica, a business and executive coach, was on the tour representing the Comox Valley Airport Commission.  She was enthusiastic about the contribution Island Gourmet Trails could make to the Comox Valley:  “The concept that she has put together is really phenomenal,” she says.  “It is a wonderful event for two people to a bus full of people; it’s great for locals.  I think it will actually revitalize tourism in the Valley because it really is all about tourism in the Valley—agriculture and culture and different communities in the Valley, so I think it will revitalize it.  I think it is outstanding.”

Palardy is constantly enlarging her network of destinations.  She has also partnered with three other companies to offer a package that includes a vacation rental on Comox Bay, sailing trips and training, a guided nature walk and a culinary tour.  This package, as with all her tours, is provided in either English or French.

For more information visit: www.islandgourmettrails.ca

In many ways Max Doberstein is much like any other eight year old boy.  The blue-eyed blonde is a bit of a jokester and his eyes sparkle with a sense of mischief and fun.  He likes watching television, patient
thinks that Sponge Bob video games are pretty cool, read more
and he loves to eat sushi with wasabi … washed down with milk.

The Comox Valley Child Development Association has been an invaluable resource to local couple Rick and Jay Doberstein, whose eight-year-old son, Max, has a severe form of cerebral palsy.

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

A Grade four student at Miracle Beach Elementary School, Max says his preferred subjects are math and music.  His favorite thing to do is to ride on the tractor with his father, Rick, to ‘help’ spread manure on the family’s Black Creek dairy farm.  The thought of this makes him grin.  He smiles from ear to ear when there is any mention of anything to do with bodily functions.  He tells me his favorite joke… it mentions ‘chicken poo’… and he giggles with infectious glee.  (It must be a boy thing.)

I learn all of this from Max’s mother, Jay Doberstein.  Although Max tries hard to verbally communicate, he can’t speak clearly.  Nor can he voluntarily move his head or any of his limbs.  The day I meet Max his mom acts as both his interpreter and, quite literally, his physical support.  Max has asked her to take him out of his wheelchair to hold him.  He’s growing up to be a big boy but he still finds comfort cradled in her arms.  When he asks what time it is she lovingly places a hand on each side of his head to support him and turns so he can check the clock.

“Max has one of the most severe forms of cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination,” explains Jay.  “Max is a quadriplegic.”

She tells me all of this as a matter of fact, much like other moms might say “Matthew is a soccer player” or “Johnny likes to fish.”  For Jay and Rick, eldest sister Sasha, 20, sister Hayley, 18, and brothers Drew, 14, and Chad, 11, as well as their extended family and friends, Max’s condition is just that—a matter of fact.

Cerebral palsy (CP), Jay explains, is caused by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control the muscle movements.  The majority of children living with CP—like Max—are born with the disorder, although it can also be caused by brain injury or infection.  His condition will not worsen over time but, at present, there is no cure.

Despite the Doberstein’s intuition that something was wrong with Max soon after he was born, their baby was nine months old before they received this diagnosis.  Needless to say, it rocked their world.

The family is sharing Max’s story to help people understand how challenging it is to have—and be—a child with special needs.  But there are organizations out there who lend an invaluable hand.  One of these is the Comox Valley Child Development Association (CVCDA).  The Dobersteins, along with other families in the region, express a great depth of gratitude for the people and the resources available to them from the CVCDA.

The CVCDA is a non-profit society that has served children who need extra support for more than 36 years.  In addition to the Comox Valley, the geographic area served by the CVCDA ranges from Oyster River south to Mud Bay, and includes Denman and Hornby Islands.

Operating out of their premises in Downtown Courtenay, CVCDA programs for children and youth include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, supported child development, infant development and community integration.  Four new services have been added in the past six years—an autism program, a youth project focused on helping young adults who have life-long disabilities, the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group (in partnership with the Comox Valley Transition Society) and JumpStart Preschool (in partnership with School District 71).

The CVCDA is a non-profit society governed by a volunteer board of directors comprised of individuals from local businesses, municipal governments, service organizations and parents.  The board is actively engaged in advocacy and fundraising, particularly the annual Children’s Telethon, which has taken place the first Sunday in November for the last 34 years.  This year’s event is November 7.

“We are continually seeking community support,” says CVCDA Executive Director Lorraine Aitken, at their offices in Courtenay. Photo by Boomer Jerritt

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

Prior to 2002, Jay and Rick Doberstein had heard about the CVCDA’s Annual Telethon, but they knew very little about any the above-mentioned services and programs offered by the association.  Why would they?  They had four healthy children and were excited about the pending birth of their fifth child.  Much to their alarm, on December 17, 2001, Max was delivered 16 weeks premature.  He spent the first four months of his life at the BC Children’s Hospital.  Jay and her then three-year-old son, Chad, stayed in an apartment funded by YANA in Vancouver during this time.  Rick commuted between Black Creek and Vancouver every weekend, while continuing to oversee the older kids’ school schedules and the chores on the dairy farm.  Friends and family helped get them through this difficult time.

Four months later, Max came home from the hospital on what would have been his due date.  He was a frail little baby, hooked up to oxygen while his tiny lungs matured.  The Dobersteins were welcomed home by their loving family and an unexpected phone message.  “We want you to know that we are here for you,” a support worker from the CVCDA said.  “When can we come to see you?  We can help.”

For the Dobersteins, that was the day the CVCDA stopped being just another community association and transformed into a support network of kind and caring individuals.

From regular visits and physiotherapy sessions for Max to respite care and emotional support for his parents and siblings, to guidance and information on how to secure government grants for much-needed renovations to their home to accommodate Max’s special needs, the CVCDA was there for the Dobersteins as promised.  And, even though Max has “aged out” of many of the programs available to him through this organization, the staff has kept in touch with the family and continue to share information about new resources with them.  Jay is so indebted to the association that she now serves on their community advisory committee.

Last February, the Doberstein family was faced with another life-altering experience.  Their daughter Hayley, then 17, had been in a horrific single car accident.  Severe head trauma had put her in a coma. For the second time in eight years the family held a bedside vigil—this time at a hospital in Victoria. They prayed for their daughter’s recovery and asked for a miracle, despite the medical team’s advice to prepare for the worst.

And, for the second time in eight years, the people of the Comox Valley rallied around the family to enable Rick and Jay to be at Hayley’s bedside during those first critical weeks.  Amongst this network of support were individuals from the Child Development Association, who were there immediately to support the Dobersteins in any way they could.  Thankfully, Hayley is now back at home, still recovering from her ordeal, but recovering never the less.

According to the Dobersteins, the Child Development Association provides an amazing service to families, like them, who are in need of extraordinary community support.  At present, the association is working with more than 360 individual children in the Comox Valley and beyond.  Over the past 36 years they have helped countless thousands of kids and their families.  Obviously, securing funding for these programs is a tremendous responsibility.

“As is the case with most charitable organizations,” explains executive director Lorraine Aitken, “we are continually seeking community support.  Our programs and services are funded about 95 per cent through contracts with the government, notably the Ministry of Children and Family Development.  Our fundraising efforts for the remaining five per cent, however, supplements and enhances existing revenue and helps us purchase new equipment and supplies, maintain our facility and upgrade our therapeutic lending library.  That extra five per cent may seem insignificant, but it makes a huge difference in what we can do for the children.”

An annual telethon is their major fundraising activity.  This 100 per cent volunteer-run event features a live telecast staged at the Old Church Theatre on Harmston Avenue in Courtenay.  It runs from 12 noon to 8:00 pm on Shaw Community Television.

The CVCDA is eternally grateful that Shaw Television has embraced the concept of the Telethon for 35 years by providing the equipment, technicians and airtime at no cost.  Aitken says that Shaw’s program director, Gord Darby, and his team are amazing to work with.  It is important to note that this annual event is one of the last ongoing live —not pre-recorded—telethons in North America.

Ensuring eight hours of non-stop live entertainment falls into the capable hands of volunteer talent coordinator Edwin Grieve.  He spends months organizing a seemingly never-ending stream of local talent—some famous and some up-and-coming stars.  This includes singers, dancers, acrobats, storytellers, musicians, actors, artists and more.  All donate their talent, energy and time to support the work of the association.

Spectators are encouraged to drop by the Old Church Theatre to watch the performances throughout the entire broadcast.  There is no admission fee but it is appreciated if you can bring a handful of toonies and loonies and/or your chequebook to support this worthy cause.  Donations can be made in person or on the phone.  “And, if the technology gods work with us,” says Aitken with a smile, “we will have online donations for the first time also.”

Individuals, businesses and service organizations are invited to participate in the Telethon either by volunteering or by holding their own fund-raising activities and donating the proceeds to the CVCDA. There are plenty of volunteer roles to fill and new volunteers are always welcome.

“It is also important to note that we would not be here today without the on-going support of our local service clubs such as Rotary, Lions, Elks and many others,” adds Aitken.  “In addition to supporting our programs with donations throughout the year, members of the various service clubs answer the phones for the Telethon.”

Over the past 34 years the Telethon has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help local families. Two years ago was a record-breaker with more $100,000 in donations.  Recognizing the ups and downs of the economy, the association doesn’t put pressure on the community by setting a specific target each year.  This year, however, in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the event, they are hopeful for another banner event.

Kenny Shaw is one of the volunteers who will do everything in his power to help make this year’s telethon the best ever.  This local musician and comedian, who considers himself a “Career Master of Ceremonies” has been the event host for more than 25 years.

“I have been involved in global efforts to raise money for charity,” says Shaw, “and even though they were all important causes, I didn’t feel the community connection like I do with this telethon.  It feels good to see the results of our efforts directly benefiting kids in this community.”

Pam Crowe, president of CVCDA and telethon coordinator, has been volunteering for the event for 30 years.  “Volunteering for this organization fulfills something inside of me,” says Crowe.  “I get back more than I put in.  I believe that grassroots initiatives like the Child Development Association are what make the Comox Valley a great place to live and make a genuine difference in the lives of children and families here.  I have a deep respect for the families we serve and for the professionals that work with them.”

Adds Aitken:  “I think that we, as a society, are making huge progress when it comes to caring for kids with special needs.  We are able to support kids living at home and being a part of the community.  We are able to give them the tools and skills to live a meaningful life.  That’s what it is all about.”

If you are reading this story after the Telethon on November 7, you can still show your support of the Comox Valley Child Development Association.  Donations are always welcome and are tax deductible. Visit the CVCDA at 237 3rd Street, Courtenay; call 250.338.4288 or go to www.cvcda.ca.

To volunteer for the Telethon or help the CVCDA in any capacity, contact Lorraine Aitken at 250.338.4288, or email [email protected]
many ways Max Doberstein is much like any other eight year old boy.  The blue-eyed blonde is a bit of a jokester and his eyes sparkle with a sense of mischief and fun.  He likes watching television, information pills
thinks that Sponge Bob video games are pretty cool, and he loves to eat sushi with wasabi … washed down with milk.

A Grade four student at Miracle Beach Elementary School, Max says his preferred subjects are math and music.  His favorite thing to do is to ride on the tractor with his father, Rick, to ‘help’ spread manure on the family’s Black Creek dairy farm.  The thought of this makes him grin.  He smiles from ear to ear when there is any mention of anything to do with bodily functions.  He tells me his favorite joke… it mentions ‘chicken poo’… and he giggles with infectious glee.  (It must be a boy thing.)

I learn all of this from Max’s mother, Jay Doberstein.  Although Max tries hard to verbally communicate, he can’t speak clearly.  Nor can he voluntarily move his head or any of his limbs.  The day I meet Max his mom acts as both his interpreter and, quite literally, his physical support.  Max has asked her to take him out of his wheelchair to hold him.  He’s growing up to be a big boy but he still finds comfort cradled in her arms.  When he asks what time it is she lovingly places a hand on each side of his head to support him and turns so he can check the clock.

“Max has one of the most severe forms of cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination,” explains Jay.  “Max is a quadriplegic.”

She tells me all of this as a matter of fact, much like other moms might say “Matthew is a soccer player” or “Johnny likes to fish.”  For Jay and Rick, eldest sister Sasha, 20, sister Hayley, 18, and brothers Drew, 14, and Chad, 11, as well as their extended family and friends, Max’s condition is just that—a matter of fact.

Cerebral palsy (CP), Jay explains, is caused by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control the muscle movements.  The majority of children living with CP—like Max—are born with the disorder, although it can also be caused by brain injury or infection.  His condition will not worsen over time but, at present, there is no cure.

Despite the Doberstein’s intuition that something was wrong with Max soon after he was born, their baby was nine months old before they received this diagnosis.  Needless to say, it rocked their world.

The family is sharing Max’s story to help people understand how challenging it is to have—and be—a child with special needs.  But there are organizations out there who lend an invaluable hand.  One of these is the Comox Valley Child Development Association (CVCDA).  The Dobersteins, along with other families in the region, express a great depth of gratitude for the people and the resources available to them from the CVCDA.

The CVCDA is a non-profit society that has served children who need extra support for more than 36 years.  In addition to the Comox Valley, the geographic area served by the CVCDA ranges from Oyster River south to Mud Bay, and includes Denman and Hornby Islands.

Operating out of their premises in Downtown Courtenay, CVCDA programs for children and youth include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, supported child development, infant development and community integration.  Four new services have been added in the past six years—an autism program, a youth project focused on helping young adults who have life-long disabilities, the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group (in partnership with the Comox Valley Transition Society) and JumpStart Preschool (in partnership with School District 71).

The CVCDA is a non-profit society governed by a volunteer board of directors comprised of individuals from local businesses, municipal governments, service organizations and parents.  The board is actively engaged in advocacy and fundraising, particularly the annual Children’s Telethon, which has taken place the first Sunday in November for the last 34 years.  This year’s event is November 7.

Prior to 2002, Jay and Rick Doberstein had heard about the CVCDA’s Annual Telethon, but they knew very little about any the above-mentioned services and programs offered by the association.  Why would they?  They had four healthy children and were excited about the pending birth of their fifth child.  Much to their alarm, on December 17, 2001, Max was delivered 16 weeks premature.  He spent the first four months of his life at the BC Children’s Hospital.  Jay and her then three-year-old son, Chad, stayed in an apartment funded by YANA in Vancouver during this time.  Rick commuted between Black Creek and Vancouver every weekend, while continuing to oversee the older kids’ school schedules and the chores on the dairy farm.  Friends and family helped get them through this difficult time.

Four months later, Max came home from the hospital on what would have been his due date.  He was a frail little baby, hooked up to oxygen while his tiny lungs matured.  The Dobersteins were welcomed home by their loving family and an unexpected phone message.  “We want you to know that we are here for you,” a support worker from the CVCDA said.  “When can we come to see you?  We can help.”

For the Dobersteins, that was the day the CVCDA stopped being just another community association and transformed into a support network of kind and caring individuals.

From regular visits and physiotherapy sessions for Max to respite care and emotional support for his parents and siblings, to guidance and information on how to secure government grants for much-needed renovations to their home to accommodate Max’s special needs, the CVCDA was there for the Dobersteins as promised.  And, even though Max has “aged out” of many of the programs available to him through this organization, the staff has kept in touch with the family and continue to share information about new resources with them.  Jay is so indebted to the association that she now serves on their community advisory committee.

Last February, the Doberstein family was faced with another life-altering experience.  Their daughter Hayley, then 17, had been in a horrific single car accident.  Severe head trauma had put her in a coma. For the second time in eight years the family held a bedside vigil—this time at a hospital in Victoria. They prayed for their daughter’s recovery and asked for a miracle, despite the medical team’s advice to prepare for the worst.

And, for the second time in eight years, the people of the Comox Valley rallied around the family to enable Rick and Jay to be at Hayley’s bedside during those first critical weeks.  Amongst this network of support were individuals from the Child Development Association, who were there immediately to support the Dobersteins in any way they could.  Thankfully, Hayley is now back at home, still recovering from her ordeal, but recovering never the less.

According to the Dobersteins, the Child Development Association provides an amazing service to families, like them, who are in need of extraordinary community support.  At present, the association is working with more than 360 individual children in the Comox Valley and beyond.  Over the past 36 years they have helped countless thousands of kids and their families.  Obviously, securing funding for these programs is a tremendous responsibility.

“As is the case with most charitable organizations,” explains executive director Lorraine Aitken, “we are continually seeking community support.  Our programs and services are funded about 95 per cent through contracts with the government, notably the Ministry of Children and Family Development.  Our fundraising efforts for the remaining five per cent, however, supplements and enhances existing revenue and helps us purchase new equipment and supplies, maintain our facility and upgrade our therapeutic lending library.  That extra five per cent may seem insignificant, but it makes a huge difference in what we can do for the children.”

An annual telethon is their major fundraising activity.  This 100 per cent volunteer-run event features a live telecast staged at the Old Church Theatre on Harmston Avenue in Courtenay.  It runs from 12 noon to 8:00 pm on Shaw Community Television.

The CVCDA is eternally grateful that Shaw Television has embraced the concept of the Telethon for 35 years by providing the equipment, technicians and airtime at no cost.  Aitken says that Shaw’s program director, Gord Darby, and his team are amazing to work with.  It is important to note that this annual event is one of the last ongoing live —not pre-recorded—telethons in North America.

Ensuring eight hours of non-stop live entertainment falls into the capable hands of volunteer talent coordinator Edwin Grieve.  He spends months organizing a seemingly never-ending stream of local talent—some famous and some up-and-coming stars.  This includes singers, dancers, acrobats, storytellers, musicians, actors, artists and more.  All donate their talent, energy and time to support the work of the association.

Spectators are encouraged to drop by the Old Church Theatre to watch the performances throughout the entire broadcast.  There is no admission fee but it is appreciated if you can bring a handful of toonies and loonies and/or your chequebook to support this worthy cause.  Donations can be made in person or on the phone.  “And, if the technology gods work with us,” says Aitken with a smile, “we will have online donations for the first time also.”

Individuals, businesses and service organizations are invited to participate in the Telethon either by volunteering or by holding their own fund-raising activities and donating the proceeds to the CVCDA. There are plenty of volunteer roles to fill and new volunteers are always welcome.

“It is also important to note that we would not be here today without the on-going support of our local service clubs such as Rotary, Lions, Elks and many others,” adds Aitken.  “In addition to supporting our programs with donations throughout the year, members of the various service clubs answer the phones for the Telethon.”

Over the past 34 years the Telethon has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help local families. Two years ago was a record-breaker with more $100,000 in donations.  Recognizing the ups and downs of the economy, the association doesn’t put pressure on the community by setting a specific target each year.  This year, however, in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the event, they are hopeful for another banner event.

Kenny Shaw is one of the volunteers who will do everything in his power to help make this year’s telethon the best ever.  This local musician and comedian, who considers himself a “Career Master of Ceremonies” has been the event host for more than 25 years.

“I have been involved in global efforts to raise money for charity,” says Shaw, “and even though they were all important causes, I didn’t feel the community connection like I do with this telethon.  It feels good to see the results of our efforts directly benefiting kids in this community.”

Pam Crowe, president of CVCDA and telethon coordinator, has been volunteering for the event for 30 years.  “Volunteering for this organization fulfills something inside of me,” says Crowe.  “I get back more than I put in.  I believe that grassroots initiatives like the Child Development Association are what make the Comox Valley a great place to live and make a genuine difference in the lives of children and families here.  I have a deep respect for the families we serve and for the professionals that work with them.”

Adds Aitken:  “I think that we, as a society, are making huge progress when it comes to caring for kids with special needs.  We are able to support kids living at home and being a part of the community.  We are able to give them the tools and skills to live a meaningful life.  That’s what it is all about.”

If you are reading this story after the Telethon on November 7, you can still show your support of the Comox Valley Child Development Association.  Donations are always welcome and are tax deductible. Visit the CVCDA at 237 3rd Street, Courtenay; call 250.338.4288 or go to www.cvcda.ca.

To volunteer for the Telethon or help the CVCDA in any capacity, contact Lorraine Aitken at 250.338.4288, or email [email protected]
many ways Max Doberstein is much like any other eight year old boy.  The blue-eyed blonde is a bit of a jokester and his eyes sparkle with a sense of mischief and fun.  He likes watching television, tadalafil thinks that Sponge Bob video games are pretty cool, cost
and he loves to eat sushi with wasabi … washed down with milk.

A Grade four student at Miracle Beach Elementary School, Max says his preferred subjects are math and music.  His favorite thing to do is to ride on the tractor with his father, Rick, to ‘help’ spread manure on the family’s Black Creek dairy farm.  The thought of this makes him grin.  He smiles from ear to ear when there is any mention of anything to do with bodily functions.  He tells me his favorite joke… it mentions ‘chicken poo’… and he giggles with infectious glee.  (It must be a boy thing.)

I learn all of this from Max’s mother, Jay Doberstein.  Although Max tries hard to verbally communicate, he can’t speak clearly.  Nor can he voluntarily move his head or any of his limbs.  The day I meet Max his mom acts as both his interpreter and, quite literally, his physical support.  Max has asked her to take him out of his wheelchair to hold him.  He’s growing up to be a big boy but he still finds comfort cradled in her arms.  When he asks what time it is she lovingly places a hand on each side of his head to support him and turns so he can check the clock.

“Max has one of the most severe forms of cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination,” explains Jay.  “Max is a quadriplegic.”

She tells me all of this as a matter of fact, much like other moms might say “Matthew is a soccer player” or “Johnny likes to fish.”  For Jay and Rick, eldest sister Sasha, 20, sister Hayley, 18, and brothers Drew, 14, and Chad, 11, as well as their extended family and friends, Max’s condition is just that—a matter of fact.

Cerebral palsy (CP), Jay explains, is caused by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control the muscle movements.  The majority of children living with CP—like Max—are born with the disorder, although it can also be caused by brain injury or infection.  His condition will not worsen over time but, at present, there is no cure.

Despite the Doberstein’s intuition that something was wrong with Max soon after he was born, their baby was nine months old before they received this diagnosis.  Needless to say, it rocked their world.

The family is sharing Max’s story to help people understand how challenging it is to have—and be—a child with special needs.  But there are organizations out there who lend an invaluable hand.  One of these is the Comox Valley Child Development Association (CVCDA).  The Dobersteins, along with other families in the region, express a great depth of gratitude for the people and the resources available to them from the CVCDA.

The CVCDA is a non-profit society that has served children who need extra support for more than 36 years.  In addition to the Comox Valley, the geographic area served by the CVCDA ranges from Oyster River south to Mud Bay, and includes Denman and Hornby Islands.

Operating out of their premises in Downtown Courtenay, CVCDA programs for children and youth include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, supported child development, infant development and community integration.  Four new services have been added in the past six years—an autism program, a youth project focused on helping young adults who have life-long disabilities, the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group (in partnership with the Comox Valley Transition Society) and JumpStart Preschool (in partnership with School District 71).

The CVCDA is a non-profit society governed by a volunteer board of directors comprised of individuals from local businesses, municipal governments, service organizations and parents.  The board is actively engaged in advocacy and fundraising, particularly the annual Children’s Telethon, which has taken place the first Sunday in November for the last 34 years.  This year’s event is November 7.

Prior to 2002, Jay and Rick Doberstein had heard about the CVCDA’s Annual Telethon, but they knew very little about any the above-mentioned services and programs offered by the association.  Why would they?  They had four healthy children and were excited about the pending birth of their fifth child.  Much to their alarm, on December 17, 2001, Max was delivered 16 weeks premature.  He spent the first four months of his life at the BC Children’s Hospital.  Jay and her then three-year-old son, Chad, stayed in an apartment funded by YANA in Vancouver during this time.  Rick commuted between Black Creek and Vancouver every weekend, while continuing to oversee the older kids’ school schedules and the chores on the dairy farm.  Friends and family helped get them through this difficult time.

Four months later, Max came home from the hospital on what would have been his due date.  He was a frail little baby, hooked up to oxygen while his tiny lungs matured.  The Dobersteins were welcomed home by their loving family and an unexpected phone message.  “We want you to know that we are here for you,” a support worker from the CVCDA said.  “When can we come to see you?  We can help.”

For the Dobersteins, that was the day the CVCDA stopped being just another community association and transformed into a support network of kind and caring individuals.

From regular visits and physiotherapy sessions for Max to respite care and emotional support for his parents and siblings, to guidance and information on how to secure government grants for much-needed renovations to their home to accommodate Max’s special needs, the CVCDA was there for the Dobersteins as promised.  And, even though Max has “aged out” of many of the programs available to him through this organization, the staff has kept in touch with the family and continue to share information about new resources with them.  Jay is so indebted to the association that she now serves on their community advisory committee.

Last February, the Doberstein family was faced with another life-altering experience.  Their daughter Hayley, then 17, had been in a horrific single car accident.  Severe head trauma had put her in a coma. For the second time in eight years the family held a bedside vigil—this time at a hospital in Victoria. They prayed for their daughter’s recovery and asked for a miracle, despite the medical team’s advice to prepare for the worst.

And, for the second time in eight years, the people of the Comox Valley rallied around the family to enable Rick and Jay to be at Hayley’s bedside during those first critical weeks.  Amongst this network of support were individuals from the Child Development Association, who were there immediately to support the Dobersteins in any way they could.  Thankfully, Hayley is now back at home, still recovering from her ordeal, but recovering never the less.

According to the Dobersteins, the Child Development Association provides an amazing service to families, like them, who are in need of extraordinary community support.  At present, the association is working with more than 360 individual children in the Comox Valley and beyond.  Over the past 36 years they have helped countless thousands of kids and their families.  Obviously, securing funding for these programs is a tremendous responsibility.

“As is the case with most charitable organizations,” explains executive director Lorraine Aitken, “we are continually seeking community support.  Our programs and services are funded about 95 per cent through contracts with the government, notably the Ministry of Children and Family Development.  Our fundraising efforts for the remaining five per cent, however, supplements and enhances existing revenue and helps us purchase new equipment and supplies, maintain our facility and upgrade our therapeutic lending library.  That extra five per cent may seem insignificant, but it makes a huge difference in what we can do for the children.”

An annual telethon is their major fundraising activity.  This 100 per cent volunteer-run event features a live telecast staged at the Old Church Theatre on Harmston Avenue in Courtenay.  It runs from 12 noon to 8:00 pm on Shaw Community Television.

The CVCDA is eternally grateful that Shaw Television has embraced the concept of the Telethon for 35 years by providing the equipment, technicians and airtime at no cost.  Aitken says that Shaw’s program director, Gord Darby, and his team are amazing to work with.  It is important to note that this annual event is one of the last ongoing live —not pre-recorded—telethons in North America.

Ensuring eight hours of non-stop live entertainment falls into the capable hands of volunteer talent coordinator Edwin Grieve.  He spends months organizing a seemingly never-ending stream of local talent—some famous and some up-and-coming stars.  This includes singers, dancers, acrobats, storytellers, musicians, actors, artists and more.  All donate their talent, energy and time to support the work of the association.

Spectators are encouraged to drop by the Old Church Theatre to watch the performances throughout the entire broadcast.  There is no admission fee but it is appreciated if you can bring a handful of toonies and loonies and/or your chequebook to support this worthy cause.  Donations can be made in person or on the phone.  “And, if the technology gods work with us,” says Aitken with a smile, “we will have online donations for the first time also.”

Individuals, businesses and service organizations are invited to participate in the Telethon either by volunteering or by holding their own fund-raising activities and donating the proceeds to the CVCDA. There are plenty of volunteer roles to fill and new volunteers are always welcome.

“It is also important to note that we would not be here today without the on-going support of our local service clubs such as Rotary, Lions, Elks and many others,” adds Aitken.  “In addition to supporting our programs with donations throughout the year, members of the various service clubs answer the phones for the Telethon.”

Over the past 34 years the Telethon has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help local families. Two years ago was a record-breaker with more $100,000 in donations.  Recognizing the ups and downs of the economy, the association doesn’t put pressure on the community by setting a specific target each year.  This year, however, in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the event, they are hopeful for another banner event.

Kenny Shaw is one of the volunteers who will do everything in his power to help make this year’s telethon the best ever.  This local musician and comedian, who considers himself a “Career Master of Ceremonies” has been the event host for more than 25 years.

“I have been involved in global efforts to raise money for charity,” says Shaw, “and even though they were all important causes, I didn’t feel the community connection like I do with this telethon.  It feels good to see the results of our efforts directly benefiting kids in this community.”

Pam Crowe, president of CVCDA and telethon coordinator, has been volunteering for the event for 30 years.  “Volunteering for this organization fulfills something inside of me,” says Crowe.  “I get back more than I put in.  I believe that grassroots initiatives like the Child Development Association are what make the Comox Valley a great place to live and make a genuine difference in the lives of children and families here.  I have a deep respect for the families we serve and for the professionals that work with them.”

Adds Aitken:  “I think that we, as a society, are making huge progress when it comes to caring for kids with special needs.  We are able to support kids living at home and being a part of the community.  We are able to give them the tools and skills to live a meaningful life.  That’s what it is all about.”

If you are reading this story after the Telethon on November 7, you can still show your support of the Comox Valley Child Development Association.  Donations are always welcome and are tax deductible. Visit the CVCDA at 237 3rd Street, Courtenay; call 250.338.4288 or go to www.cvcda.ca.

To volunteer for the Telethon or help the CVCDA in any capacity, contact Lorraine Aitken at 250.338.4288, or email [email protected]

n many ways Max Doberstein is much like any other eight year old boy.  The blue-eyed blonde is a bit of a jokester and his eyes sparkle with a sense of mischief and fun.  He likes watching television, thinks that Sponge Bob video games are pretty cool, and he loves to eat sushi with wasabi… washed down with milk.A Grade four student at Miracle Beach Elementary School, Max says his preferred subjects are math and music.  His favorite thing to do is to ride on the tractor with his father, Rick, to ‘help’ spread manure on the family’s Black Creek dairy farm.  The thought of this makes him grin.  He smiles from ear to ear when there is any mention of anything to do with bodily functions.  He tells me his favorite joke … it mentions ‘chicken poo’ … and he giggles with infectious glee.  (It must be a boy thing.)I learn all of this from Max’s mother, Jay Doberstein.  Although Max tries hard to verbally communicate, he can’t speak clearly.  Nor can he voluntarily move his head or any of his limbs.  The day I meet Max his mom acts as both his interpreter and, quite literally, his physical support.  Max has asked her to take him out of his wheelchair to hold him.  He’s growing up to be a big boy but he still finds comfort cradled in her arms.  When he asks what time it is she lovingly places a hand on each side of his head to support him and turns so he can check the clock.“Max has one of the most severe forms of cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination,” explains Jay.  “Max is a quadriplegic.”She tells me all of this as a matter of fact, much like other moms might say “Matthew is a soccer player” or “Johnny likes to fish.”  For Jay and Rick, eldest sister Sasha, 20, sister Hayley, 18, and brothers Drew, 14, and Chad, 11, as well as their extended family and friends, Max’s condition is just that—a matter of fact.Cerebral palsy (CP), Jay explains, is caused by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control the muscle movements.  The majority of children living with CP—like Max—are born with the disorder, although it can also be caused by brain injury or infection.  His condition will not worsen over time but, at present, there is no cure.Despite the Doberstein’s intuition that something was wrong with Max soon after he was born, their baby was nine months old before they received this diagnosis.  Needless to say, it rocked their world.The family is sharing Max’s story to help people understand how challenging it is to have—and be—a child with special needs.  But there are organizations out there who lend an invaluable hand.  One of these is the Comox Valley Child Development Association (CVCDA).  The Dobersteins, along with other families in the region, express a great depth of gratitude for the people and the resources available to them from the CVCDA.The CVCDA is a non-profit society that has served children who need extra support for more than 36 years.  In addition to the Comox Valley, the geographic area served by the CVCDA ranges from Oyster River south to Mud Bay, and includes Denman and Hornby Islands.Operating out of their premises in Downtown Courtenay, CVCDA programs for children and youth include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, supported child development, infant development and community integration.  Four new services have been added in the past six years—an autism program, a youth project focused on helping young adults who have life-long disabilities, the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group (in partnership with the Comox Valley Transition Society) and JumpStart Preschool (in partnership with School District 71).The CVCDA is a non-profit society governed by a volunteer board of directors comprised of individuals from local businesses, municipal governments, service organizations and parents.  The board is actively engaged in advocacy and fundraising, particularly the annual Children’s Telethon, which has taken place the first Sunday in November for the last 34 years.  This year’s event is November 7.Prior to 2002, Jay and Rick Doberstein had heard about the CVCDA’s Annual Telethon, but they knew very little about any the above-mentioned services and programs offered by the association.  Why would they?  They had four healthy children and were excited about the pending birth of their fifth child.  Much to their alarm, on December 17, 2001, Max was delivered 16 weeks premature.  He spent the first four months of his life at the BC Children’s Hospital.  Jay and her then three-year-old son, Chad, stayed in an apartment funded by YANA in Vancouver during this time.  Rick commuted between Black Creek and Vancouver every weekend, while continuing to oversee the older kids’ school schedules and the chores on the dairy farm.  Friends and family helped get them through this difficult time.Four months later, Max came home from the hospital on what would have been his due date.  He was a frail little baby, hooked up to oxygen while his tiny lungs matured.  The Dobersteins were welcomed home by their loving family and an unexpected phone message.  “We want you to know that we are here for you,” a support worker from the CVCDA said.  “When can we come to see you?  We can help.” For the Dobersteins, that was the day the CVCDA stopped being just another community association and transformed into a support network of kind and caring individuals.From regular visits and physiotherapy sessions for Max to respite care and emotional support for his parents and siblings, to guidance and information on how to secure government grants for much-needed renovations to their home to accommodate Max’s special needs, the CVCDA was there for the Dobersteins as promised.  And, even though Max has “aged out” of many of the programs available to him through this organization, the staff has kept in touch with the family and continue to share information about new resources with them.  Jay is so indebted to the association that she now serves on their community advisory committee.Last February, the Doberstein family was faced with another life-altering experience.  Their daughter Hayley, then 17, had been in a horrific single car accident.  Severe head trauma had put her in a coma. For the second time in eight years the family held a bedside vigil—this time at a hospital in Victoria. They prayed for their daughter’s recovery and asked for a miracle, despite the medical team’s advice to prepare for the worst.And, for the second time in eight years, the people of the Comox Valley rallied around the family to enable Rick and Jay to be at Hayley’s bedside during those first critical weeks.  Amongst this network of support were individuals from the Child Development Association, who were there immediately to support the Dobersteins in any way they could.  Thankfully, Hayley is now back at home, still recovering from her ordeal, but recovering never the less.According to the Dobersteins, the Child Development Association provides an amazing service to families, like them, who are in need of extraordinary community support.  At present, the association is working with more than 360 individual children in the Comox Valley and beyond.  Over the past 36 years they have helped countless thousands of kids and their families.  Obviously, securing funding for these programs is a tremendous responsibility.“As is the case with most charitable organizations,” explains executive director Lorraine Aitken, “we are continually seeking community support.  Our programs and services are funded about 95 per cent through contracts with the government, notably the Ministry of Children and Family Development.  Our fundraising efforts for the remaining five per cent, however, supplements and enhances existing revenue and helps us purchase new equipment and supplies, maintain our facility and upgrade our therapeutic lending library.  That extra five per cent may seem insignificant, but it makes a huge difference in what we can do for the children.”An annual telethon is their major fundraising activity.  This 100 per cent volunteer-run event features a live telecast staged at the Old Church Theatre on Harmston Avenue in Courtenay.  It runs from 12 noon to 8:00 pm on Shaw Community Television.The CVCDA is eternally grateful that Shaw Television has embraced the concept of the Telethon for 35 years by providing the equipment, technicians and airtime at no cost.  Aitken says that Shaw’s program director, Gord Darby, and his team are amazing to work with.  It is important to note that this annual event is one of the last ongoing live —not pre-recorded—telethons in North America.Ensuring eight hours of non-stop live entertainment falls into the capable hands of volunteer talent coordinator Edwin Grieve.  He spends months organizing a seemingly never-ending stream of local talent—some famous and some up-and-coming stars.  This includes singers, dancers, acrobats, storytellers, musicians, actors, artists and more.  All donate their talent, energy and time to support the work of the association.Spectators are encouraged to drop by the Old Church Theatre to watch the performances throughout the entire broadcast.  There is no admission fee but it is appreciated if you can bring a handful of toonies and loonies and/or your chequebook to support this worthy cause.  Donations can be made in person or on the phone.  “And, if the technology gods work with us,” says Aitken with a smile, “we will have online donations for the first time also.”Individuals, businesses and service organizations are invited to participate in the Telethon either by volunteering or by holding their own fund-raising activities and donating the proceeds to the CVCDA. There are plenty of volunteer roles to fill and new volunteers are always welcome.“It is also important to note that we would not be here today without the on-going support of our local service clubs such as Rotary, Lions, Elks and many others,” adds Aitken.  “In addition to supporting our programs with donations throughout the year, members of the various service clubs answer the phones for the Telethon.”Over the past 34 years the Telethon has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help local families. Two years ago was a record-breaker with more $100,000 in donations.  Recognizing the ups and downs of the economy, the association doesn’t put pressure on the community by setting a specific target each year.  This year, however, in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the event, they are hopeful for another banner event.Kenny Shaw is one of the volunteers who will do everything in his power to help make this year’s telethon the best ever.  This local musician and comedian, who considers himself a “Career Master of Ceremonies” has been the event host for more than 25 years.“I have been involved in global efforts to raise money for charity,” says Shaw, “and even though they were all important causes, I didn’t feel the community connection like I do with this telethon.  It feels good to see the results of our efforts directly benefiting kids in this community.”Pam Crowe, president of CVCDA and telethon coordinator, has been volunteering for the event for 30 years.  “Volunteering for this organization fulfills something inside of me,” says Crowe.  “I get back more than I put in.  I believe that grassroots initiatives like the Child Development Association are what make the Comox Valley a great place to live and make a genuine difference in the lives of children and families here.  I have a deep respect for the families we serve and for the professionals that work with them.”Adds Aitken:  “I think that we, as a society, are making huge progress when it comes to caring for kids with special needs.  We are able to support kids living at home and being a part of the community.  We are able to give them the tools and skills to live a meaningful life.  That’s what it is all about.”
If you are reading this story after the Telethon on November 7, you can still show your support of the Comox Valley Child Development Association.  Donations are always welcome and are tax deductible. Visit the CVCDA at 237 3rd Street, Courtenay; call 250.338.4288 or go to www.cvcda.ca.
To volunteer for the Telethon or help the CVCDA in any capacity, contact Lorraine Aitken at 250.338.4288, or email [email protected]
many ways Max Doberstein is much like any other eight year old boy.  The blue-eyed blonde is a bit of a jokester and his eyes sparkle with a sense of mischief and fun.  He likes watching television, ampoule
thinks that Sponge Bob video games are pretty cool, cure
and he loves to eat sushi with wasabi … washed down with milk.

A Grade four student at Miracle Beach Elementary School, Max says his preferred subjects are math and music.  His favorite thing to do is to ride on the tractor with his father, Rick, to ‘help’ spread manure on the family’s Black Creek dairy farm.  The thought of this makes him grin.  He smiles from ear to ear when there is any mention of anything to do with bodily functions.  He tells me his favorite joke… it mentions ‘chicken poo’… and he giggles with infectious glee.  (It must be a boy thing.)

I learn all of this from Max’s mother, Jay Doberstein.  Although Max tries hard to verbally communicate, he can’t speak clearly.  Nor can he voluntarily move his head or any of his limbs.  The day I meet Max his mom acts as both his interpreter and, quite literally, his physical support.  Max has asked her to take him out of his wheelchair to hold him.  He’s growing up to be a big boy but he still finds comfort cradled in her arms.  When he asks what time it is she lovingly places a hand on each side of his head to support him and turns so he can check the clock.

“Max has one of the most severe forms of cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination,” explains Jay.  “Max is a quadriplegic.”

She tells me all of this as a matter of fact, much like other moms might say “Matthew is a soccer player” or “Johnny likes to fish.”  For Jay and Rick, eldest sister Sasha, 20, sister Hayley, 18, and brothers Drew, 14, and Chad, 11, as well as their extended family and friends, Max’s condition is just that—a matter of fact.

Cerebral palsy (CP), Jay explains, is caused by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control the muscle movements.  The majority of children living with CP—like Max—are born with the disorder, although it can also be caused by brain injury or infection.  His condition will not worsen over time but, at present, there is no cure.

Despite the Doberstein’s intuition that something was wrong with Max soon after he was born, their baby was nine months old before they received this diagnosis.  Needless to say, it rocked their world.

The family is sharing Max’s story to help people understand how challenging it is to have—and be—a child with special needs.  But there are organizations out there who lend an invaluable hand.  One of these is the Comox Valley Child Development Association (CVCDA).  The Dobersteins, along with other families in the region, express a great depth of gratitude for the people and the resources available to them from the CVCDA.

The CVCDA is a non-profit society that has served children who need extra support for more than 36 years.  In addition to the Comox Valley, the geographic area served by the CVCDA ranges from Oyster River south to Mud Bay, and includes Denman and Hornby Islands.

Operating out of their premises in Downtown Courtenay, CVCDA programs for children and youth include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, supported child development, infant development and community integration.  Four new services have been added in the past six years—an autism program, a youth project focused on helping young adults who have life-long disabilities, the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group (in partnership with the Comox Valley Transition Society) and JumpStart Preschool (in partnership with School District 71).

The CVCDA is a non-profit society governed by a volunteer board of directors comprised of individuals from local businesses, municipal governments, service organizations and parents.  The board is actively engaged in advocacy and fundraising, particularly the annual Children’s Telethon, which has taken place the first Sunday in November for the last 34 years.  This year’s event is November 7.

Prior to 2002, Jay and Rick Doberstein had heard about the CVCDA’s Annual Telethon, but they knew very little about any the above-mentioned services and programs offered by the association.  Why would they?  They had four healthy children and were excited about the pending birth of their fifth child.  Much to their alarm, on December 17, 2001, Max was delivered 16 weeks premature.  He spent the first four months of his life at the BC Children’s Hospital.  Jay and her then three-year-old son, Chad, stayed in an apartment funded by YANA in Vancouver during this time.  Rick commuted between Black Creek and Vancouver every weekend, while continuing to oversee the older kids’ school schedules and the chores on the dairy farm.  Friends and family helped get them through this difficult time.

Four months later, Max came home from the hospital on what would have been his due date.  He was a frail little baby, hooked up to oxygen while his tiny lungs matured.  The Dobersteins were welcomed home by their loving family and an unexpected phone message.  “We want you to know that we are here for you,” a support worker from the CVCDA said.  “When can we come to see you?  We can help.”

For the Dobersteins, that was the day the CVCDA stopped being just another community association and transformed into a support network of kind and caring individuals.

From regular visits and physiotherapy sessions for Max to respite care and emotional support for his parents and siblings, to guidance and information on how to secure government grants for much-needed renovations to their home to accommodate Max’s special needs, the CVCDA was there for the Dobersteins as promised.  And, even though Max has “aged out” of many of the programs available to him through this organization, the staff has kept in touch with the family and continue to share information about new resources with them.  Jay is so indebted to the association that she now serves on their community advisory committee.

Last February, the Doberstein family was faced with another life-altering experience.  Their daughter Hayley, then 17, had been in a horrific single car accident.  Severe head trauma had put her in a coma. For the second time in eight years the family held a bedside vigil—this time at a hospital in Victoria. They prayed for their daughter’s recovery and asked for a miracle, despite the medical team’s advice to prepare for the worst.

And, for the second time in eight years, the people of the Comox Valley rallied around the family to enable Rick and Jay to be at Hayley’s bedside during those first critical weeks.  Amongst this network of support were individuals from the Child Development Association, who were there immediately to support the Dobersteins in any way they could.  Thankfully, Hayley is now back at home, still recovering from her ordeal, but recovering never the less.

According to the Dobersteins, the Child Development Association provides an amazing service to families, like them, who are in need of extraordinary community support.  At present, the association is working with more than 360 individual children in the Comox Valley and beyond.  Over the past 36 years they have helped countless thousands of kids and their families.  Obviously, securing funding for these programs is a tremendous responsibility.

“As is the case with most charitable organizations,” explains executive director Lorraine Aitken, “we are continually seeking community support.  Our programs and services are funded about 95 per cent through contracts with the government, notably the Ministry of Children and Family Development.  Our fundraising efforts for the remaining five per cent, however, supplements and enhances existing revenue and helps us purchase new equipment and supplies, maintain our facility and upgrade our therapeutic lending library.  That extra five per cent may seem insignificant, but it makes a huge difference in what we can do for the children.”

An annual telethon is their major fundraising activity.  This 100 per cent volunteer-run event features a live telecast staged at the Old Church Theatre on Harmston Avenue in Courtenay.  It runs from 12 noon to 8:00 pm on Shaw Community Television.

The CVCDA is eternally grateful that Shaw Television has embraced the concept of the Telethon for 35 years by providing the equipment, technicians and airtime at no cost.  Aitken says that Shaw’s program director, Gord Darby, and his team are amazing to work with.  It is important to note that this annual event is one of the last ongoing live —not pre-recorded—telethons in North America.

Ensuring eight hours of non-stop live entertainment falls into the capable hands of volunteer talent coordinator Edwin Grieve.  He spends months organizing a seemingly never-ending stream of local talent—some famous and some up-and-coming stars.  This includes singers, dancers, acrobats, storytellers, musicians, actors, artists and more.  All donate their talent, energy and time to support the work of the association.

Spectators are encouraged to drop by the Old Church Theatre to watch the performances throughout the entire broadcast.  There is no admission fee but it is appreciated if you can bring a handful of toonies and loonies and/or your chequebook to support this worthy cause.  Donations can be made in person or on the phone.  “And, if the technology gods work with us,” says Aitken with a smile, “we will have online donations for the first time also.”

Individuals, businesses and service organizations are invited to participate in the Telethon either by volunteering or by holding their own fund-raising activities and donating the proceeds to the CVCDA. There are plenty of volunteer roles to fill and new volunteers are always welcome.

“It is also important to note that we would not be here today without the on-going support of our local service clubs such as Rotary, Lions, Elks and many others,” adds Aitken.  “In addition to supporting our programs with donations throughout the year, members of the various service clubs answer the phones for the Telethon.”

Over the past 34 years the Telethon has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help local families. Two years ago was a record-breaker with more $100,000 in donations.  Recognizing the ups and downs of the economy, the association doesn’t put pressure on the community by setting a specific target each year.  This year, however, in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the event, they are hopeful for another banner event.

Kenny Shaw is one of the volunteers who will do everything in his power to help make this year’s telethon the best ever.  This local musician and comedian, who considers himself a “Career Master of Ceremonies” has been the event host for more than 25 years.

“I have been involved in global efforts to raise money for charity,” says Shaw, “and even though they were all important causes, I didn’t feel the community connection like I do with this telethon.  It feels good to see the results of our efforts directly benefiting kids in this community.”

Pam Crowe, president of CVCDA and telethon coordinator, has been volunteering for the event for 30 years.  “Volunteering for this organization fulfills something inside of me,” says Crowe.  “I get back more than I put in.  I believe that grassroots initiatives like the Child Development Association are what make the Comox Valley a great place to live and make a genuine difference in the lives of children and families here.  I have a deep respect for the families we serve and for the professionals that work with them.”

Adds Aitken:  “I think that we, as a society, are making huge progress when it comes to caring for kids with special needs.  We are able to support kids living at home and being a part of the community.  We are able to give them the tools and skills to live a meaningful life.  That’s what it is all about.”

If you are reading this story after the Telethon on November 7, you can still show your support of the Comox Valley Child Development Association.  Donations are always welcome and are tax deductible. Visit the CVCDA at 237 3rd Street, Courtenay; call 250.338.4288 or go to www.cvcda.ca.

To volunteer for the Telethon or help the CVCDA in any capacity, contact Lorraine Aitken at 250.338.4288, or email [email protected]

n many ways Max Doberstein is much like any other eight year old boy.  The blue-eyed blonde is a bit of a jokester and his eyes sparkle with a sense of mischief and fun.  He likes watching television, thinks that Sponge Bob video games are pretty cool, and he loves to eat sushi with wasabi… washed down with milk.A Grade four student at Miracle Beach Elementary School, Max says his preferred subjects are math and music.  His favorite thing to do is to ride on the tractor with his father, Rick, to ‘help’ spread manure on the family’s Black Creek dairy farm.  The thought of this makes him grin.  He smiles from ear to ear when there is any mention of anything to do with bodily functions.  He tells me his favorite joke … it mentions ‘chicken poo’ … and he giggles with infectious glee.  (It must be a boy thing.)I learn all of this from Max’s mother, Jay Doberstein.  Although Max tries hard to verbally communicate, he can’t speak clearly.  Nor can he voluntarily move his head or any of his limbs.  The day I meet Max his mom acts as both his interpreter and, quite literally, his physical support.  Max has asked her to take him out of his wheelchair to hold him.  He’s growing up to be a big boy but he still finds comfort cradled in her arms.  When he asks what time it is she lovingly places a hand on each side of his head to support him and turns so he can check the clock.“Max has one of the most severe forms of cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination,” explains Jay.  “Max is a quadriplegic.”She tells me all of this as a matter of fact, much like other moms might say “Matthew is a soccer player” or “Johnny likes to fish.”  For Jay and Rick, eldest sister Sasha, 20, sister Hayley, 18, and brothers Drew, 14, and Chad, 11, as well as their extended family and friends, Max’s condition is just that—a matter of fact.Cerebral palsy (CP), Jay explains, is caused by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control the muscle movements.  The majority of children living with CP—like Max—are born with the disorder, although it can also be caused by brain injury or infection.  His condition will not worsen over time but, at present, there is no cure.Despite the Doberstein’s intuition that something was wrong with Max soon after he was born, their baby was nine months old before they received this diagnosis.  Needless to say, it rocked their world.The family is sharing Max’s story to help people understand how challenging it is to have—and be—a child with special needs.  But there are organizations out there who lend an invaluable hand.  One of these is the Comox Valley Child Development Association (CVCDA).  The Dobersteins, along with other families in the region, express a great depth of gratitude for the people and the resources available to them from the CVCDA.The CVCDA is a non-profit society that has served children who need extra support for more than 36 years.  In addition to the Comox Valley, the geographic area served by the CVCDA ranges from Oyster River south to Mud Bay, and includes Denman and Hornby Islands.Operating out of their premises in Downtown Courtenay, CVCDA programs for children and youth include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, supported child development, infant development and community integration.  Four new services have been added in the past six years—an autism program, a youth project focused on helping young adults who have life-long disabilities, the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group (in partnership with the Comox Valley Transition Society) and JumpStart Preschool (in partnership with School District 71).The CVCDA is a non-profit society governed by a volunteer board of directors comprised of individuals from local businesses, municipal governments, service organizations and parents.  The board is actively engaged in advocacy and fundraising, particularly the annual Children’s Telethon, which has taken place the first Sunday in November for the last 34 years.  This year’s event is November 7.Prior to 2002, Jay and Rick Doberstein had heard about the CVCDA’s Annual Telethon, but they knew very little about any the above-mentioned services and programs offered by the association.  Why would they?  They had four healthy children and were excited about the pending birth of their fifth child.  Much to their alarm, on December 17, 2001, Max was delivered 16 weeks premature.  He spent the first four months of his life at the BC Children’s Hospital.  Jay and her then three-year-old son, Chad, stayed in an apartment funded by YANA in Vancouver during this time.  Rick commuted between Black Creek and Vancouver every weekend, while continuing to oversee the older kids’ school schedules and the chores on the dairy farm.  Friends and family helped get them through this difficult time.Four months later, Max came home from the hospital on what would have been his due date.  He was a frail little baby, hooked up to oxygen while his tiny lungs matured.  The Dobersteins were welcomed home by their loving family and an unexpected phone message.  “We want you to know that we are here for you,” a support worker from the CVCDA said.  “When can we come to see you?  We can help.” For the Dobersteins, that was the day the CVCDA stopped being just another community association and transformed into a support network of kind and caring individuals.From regular visits and physiotherapy sessions for Max to respite care and emotional support for his parents and siblings, to guidance and information on how to secure government grants for much-needed renovations to their home to accommodate Max’s special needs, the CVCDA was there for the Dobersteins as promised.  And, even though Max has “aged out” of many of the programs available to him through this organization, the staff has kept in touch with the family and continue to share information about new resources with them.  Jay is so indebted to the association that she now serves on their community advisory committee.Last February, the Doberstein family was faced with another life-altering experience.  Their daughter Hayley, then 17, had been in a horrific single car accident.  Severe head trauma had put her in a coma. For the second time in eight years the family held a bedside vigil—this time at a hospital in Victoria. They prayed for their daughter’s recovery and asked for a miracle, despite the medical team’s advice to prepare for the worst.And, for the second time in eight years, the people of the Comox Valley rallied around the family to enable Rick and Jay to be at Hayley’s bedside during those first critical weeks.  Amongst this network of support were individuals from the Child Development Association, who were there immediately to support the Dobersteins in any way they could.  Thankfully, Hayley is now back at home, still recovering from her ordeal, but recovering never the less.According to the Dobersteins, the Child Development Association provides an amazing service to families, like them, who are in need of extraordinary community support.  At present, the association is working with more than 360 individual children in the Comox Valley and beyond.  Over the past 36 years they have helped countless thousands of kids and their families.  Obviously, securing funding for these programs is a tremendous responsibility.“As is the case with most charitable organizations,” explains executive director Lorraine Aitken, “we are continually seeking community support.  Our programs and services are funded about 95 per cent through contracts with the government, notably the Ministry of Children and Family Development.  Our fundraising efforts for the remaining five per cent, however, supplements and enhances existing revenue and helps us purchase new equipment and supplies, maintain our facility and upgrade our therapeutic lending library.  That extra five per cent may seem insignificant, but it makes a huge difference in what we can do for the children.”An annual telethon is their major fundraising activity.  This 100 per cent volunteer-run event features a live telecast staged at the Old Church Theatre on Harmston Avenue in Courtenay.  It runs from 12 noon to 8:00 pm on Shaw Community Television.The CVCDA is eternally grateful that Shaw Television has embraced the concept of the Telethon for 35 years by providing the equipment, technicians and airtime at no cost.  Aitken says that Shaw’s program director, Gord Darby, and his team are amazing to work with.  It is important to note that this annual event is one of the last ongoing live —not pre-recorded—telethons in North America.Ensuring eight hours of non-stop live entertainment falls into the capable hands of volunteer talent coordinator Edwin Grieve.  He spends months organizing a seemingly never-ending stream of local talent—some famous and some up-and-coming stars.  This includes singers, dancers, acrobats, storytellers, musicians, actors, artists and more.  All donate their talent, energy and time to support the work of the association.Spectators are encouraged to drop by the Old Church Theatre to watch the performances throughout the entire broadcast.  There is no admission fee but it is appreciated if you can bring a handful of toonies and loonies and/or your chequebook to support this worthy cause.  Donations can be made in person or on the phone.  “And, if the technology gods work with us,” says Aitken with a smile, “we will have online donations for the first time also.”Individuals, businesses and service organizations are invited to participate in the Telethon either by volunteering or by holding their own fund-raising activities and donating the proceeds to the CVCDA. There are plenty of volunteer roles to fill and new volunteers are always welcome.“It is also important to note that we would not be here today without the on-going support of our local service clubs such as Rotary, Lions, Elks and many others,” adds Aitken.  “In addition to supporting our programs with donations throughout the year, members of the various service clubs answer the phones for the Telethon.”Over the past 34 years the Telethon has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help local families. Two years ago was a record-breaker with more $100,000 in donations.  Recognizing the ups and downs of the economy, the association doesn’t put pressure on the community by setting a specific target each year.  This year, however, in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the event, they are hopeful for another banner event.Kenny Shaw is one of the volunteers who will do everything in his power to help make this year’s telethon the best ever.  This local musician and comedian, who considers himself a “Career Master of Ceremonies” has been the event host for more than 25 years.“I have been involved in global efforts to raise money for charity,” says Shaw, “and even though they were all important causes, I didn’t feel the community connection like I do with this telethon.  It feels good to see the results of our efforts directly benefiting kids in this community.”Pam Crowe, president of CVCDA and telethon coordinator, has been volunteering for the event for 30 years.  “Volunteering for this organization fulfills something inside of me,” says Crowe.  “I get back more than I put in.  I believe that grassroots initiatives like the Child Development Association are what make the Comox Valley a great place to live and make a genuine difference in the lives of children and families here.  I have a deep respect for the families we serve and for the professionals that work with them.”Adds Aitken:  “I think that we, as a society, are making huge progress when it comes to caring for kids with special needs.  We are able to support kids living at home and being a part of the community.  We are able to give them the tools and skills to live a meaningful life.  That’s what it is all about.”
If you are reading this story after the Telethon on November 7, you can still show your support of the Comox Valley Child Development Association.  Donations are always welcome and are tax deductible. Visit the CVCDA at 237 3rd Street, Courtenay; call 250.338.4288 or go to www.cvcda.ca.
To volunteer for the Telethon or help the CVCDA in any capacity, contact Lorraine Aitken at 250.338.4288, or email [email protected]

On a sunny fall day, Shamrock Farm is bursting with the colors, scents and sounds of autumn. The home of Shannon Farrell and her family is a profusion of pumpkins—as well as a cornucopia of organic edibles and a menagerie of animals.

Ten years ago, the Farrells opened their family farm to the public for a feast of pumpkin-picking during the month of October.

“In October I do a lot of school tours, ” says Farrell, as she leads the way past beds of aromatic lavender, rows of ripening apple trees, and flocks of clucking chickens on the way to the children’s pumpkin patch, a field in which she has planted the varieties that will most appeal to kids. “This field is only for the groups—the public goes around to the big patch at the back. I book every day—I can do three school tours a day, maximum 60 children in a group. About 700 to 800 children came through last year.”

Careful planning has gone into the school tour pumpkin patch. “I’ve planted out front here, so little kids can carry their pumpkins back to the cars and the schoolbus. In this field I need pumpkins that are easy for the children to take home.”

Farrell offers a key tip for successful pumpkin-picking: “We’ve already cut them all off the vine! As soon as your pumpkin is orange, cut them off the vine, and you can leave them in the field till you need them for Halloween or for baking.”

The children still have to choose a favorite among the varieties though. “Sugar pumpkins are a bit smaller and heavier—they’re my favorite,” she says. “You can cook with any of the pumpkins but I think these are the best.”

In the half-acre patch are a wealth of kid-size pumpkins—the classic Sugar pumpkins, but also orange Dakota, white Cotton Candy, palm-size Jack-be-Little, ghostly Baby Boo pumpkins and ornamental gourds. Then there is the amazing Batwing pumpkin. “They’re all the children’s favorite!” says Farrell, picking up a small pumpkin that is orange on top but almost black on the bottom, with a scalloped edging like the silhouette of a bat’s wing.

“Every year I learn something about pumpkins,” Farrell says. “Last year I was wondering why all the batwing pumpkins were solid orange—I found that they start completely green, and will go completely orange unless you cut them off the vine! So as soon as I saw these starting to look like the batwing shape, I came out and cut them off.”

The Batwing is a small pumpkin, so is not the best for carving. “The teachers like to get a normal jack-o-lantern size pumpkin for carving. And one of the schools that comes out doesn’t celebrate Halloween, but you can always use a pumpkin for baking. So those children take home the sugar pumpkins, which are great for pumpkin pie or soup.”

Careful tending of the patch ensures healthy pumpkins and soil. “We rotate the pumpkin patches every year,” says Farrell. “We put a cover crop on, which helps the soil. Fall rye, peas, red clover—just to get nutrients back in. We’ve learned that you can’t plant pumpkins year after year in the same place or you’ll get diseases.”

Years of experience come to fruition at the farm in October. “We’ve been here growing pumpkins for 17 years, and open for ‘U-Pick’ for 10 years,” says Farrell. “We used to sell just wholesale to the stores—we started with Courtenay Country Market, Discovery Foods, then when Quality Foods in Comox opened up, we took some pumpkins in there and they bought anything we could send them. We’re lucky that way!”

Seeing how much her three boys—aged 11, 13 and 15—and their friends loved the pumpkins encouraged them to open up the farm to others. “When the boys were really little, my girlfriends would come with their kids and they had so much fun that we thought, ‘Why don’t we let everybody come and enjoy the pumpkin patch?’” says Farrell. “We still sell to those stores, and then we’re open every single day in October for people to come to the farm. There’s no charge, people don’t have to phone ahead.”

Various barns and assorted farm animals are interspersed between the pumpkin fields. The constant cluck of chickens and the occasional crow of roosters provide the background noise in the barnyard. Inside one of the barn stalls, bustling hens mingle with rather dignified-looking goats. “We’ve only had the goats for a couple of years,” says Farrell of her seven purebred Nubians—four adults and three triplet kids. “I use them for the goat’s milk soap I make. The Nubians have the highest butterfat content in the milk and it makes the best soap. And I like their floppy ears!”

The goats seem very good-natured, not at all belligerent. “They are very friendly,” Farrell adds. “When we have so many children here I have to make sure that we have animals that I don’t have to worry about. My youngest son will be showing the goats next year with the 4H Club.”

Entering the henhouse, Farrell releases a flurry of clucking chickens outdoors and then checks the laying boxes. “This is where most of the children hang out—I let them feed the chickens. The schoolchildren love coming in here and collecting eggs so I always make sure there are eggs in here.”

Among the regular chickens are some that are distinctly exotic. “That was from the 4H Poultry,” Farrell says, pointing to one particularly unusual looking bird. “My oldest son was showing those chickens—I think they’re called White-crested Black Polish. There’s the rooster, with the funky hairdo! ”

A large goose stands out among the hens. “This is Nibbles, who my son hatched from an egg,” says Farrell. “He thinks he’s a chicken! He won’t go with the other geese. He’s decided he’s not a goose.” Nibbles honks loudly in response. “I have a little sign saying ‘please be careful of your fingers’, but my youngest son carries him around so I know he’s pretty safe.”

The pleasant scent of straw inside the barn gives way to the aroma of lavender outside. “The farm started with pumpkins but we’ve been adding things,” Farrell says. “I love lavender so I started that eight years ago. Then the garlic, then honey of course, because we have the bees for pollination. We’ve put in this apple orchard—60 trees. This is the second year of production—the Kings have done fantastic, Spartans OK. I have a small crabapple from Denman, a heritage type, so we’re sort of going in that direction. It’s just a learning process, like with the pumpkins—it takes time to figure out what grows well here.”

The 700 lavender plants are a favorite of the bees. “I let the children know the bees are the most important workers on our farm,” says Farrell. “I have three hives, they are there full-time. I’m still learning about the bees, but we really need them here for pollination of the pumpkins. We used to just rely on the bees that were around, but about six years ago a neighbor, Gordon Calam, who was a beekeeper for 50-60 years, brought his beehive over, and we put it in the pumpkin patch and we noticed how many more pumpkins we had. So from then on we decided to get our own hives. The bonus is I get beautiful honey because they’re into my lavender. Then when the blackberries are blooming they’re all in the blackberries, then they go to the pumpkins—the bees will go wherever they can.”

The work involved on the farm would be enough to fill a 48-hour day, Farrell acknowledges. “Every year is getting a little busier, but it’s always going to be family-run,” she says. “Everything we sell here is made here. The garlic is grown here, the honey, all the canning is done by me and my friend Ev—strawberry jam, blackberries. Goat’s milk soap is made here with our milk. Then I’ll be selling lavender here. We don’t just do the pumpkins!”

This year the main pumpkin patch is at the back of the property, but on the way there, past a flock of geese, another field with huge orange globes catches the eye. “These are Atlantic Giant pumpkins, the ones that are grown for the biggest pumpkins,” says Farrell. “We saved some seed last year from our biggest pumpkin and planted those, and we always order these Atlantic Giants from seed companies.”

Her biggest last year was about 150 pounds. “I should be watering every day and fertilizing, and having only one pumpkin on the vine, but I tend to run out of time!” she says.

Adjacent to the giants are Fairytale pumpkins, the kind you imagine might turn into a coach by magic. “These are difficult to grow, they take a long time,” Farrell says. “They were planted first but they’re not at all ready yet.”

The still-green, deeply ribbed pumpkins will be “almost a skin color” when they are ripe. They are also good for eating. “We grow four really good varieties for eating—Sugar, Dakota, Fairytale and Rouge vif D’Etampes. This French heirloom variety is the one nicknamed as the ‘Cinderella’ pumpkin. “They’re a little difficult to work with because they’re big and quite watery when you cook them,” says Farrell. “When people want to bake with the pumpkins I always tell them to start with the sugar pumpkins—they’re easiest to handle.”

In the main field, multi-colored pumpkins peek out from a sea of tangled green leaves. “This is our main crop, the carving pumpkins,” Farrell says, lifting the leaves to reveal the ground cover beneath. “We use bio-degradable fabric made from cornstarch to help the soil warm up and help stop weeds. Underneath we lay drip tape to water right at the plant. All this is pulled up and moved every year.”

Farrell names the different varieties. “This row is Gladiator. We’ve got Warlock in here, with bumps like warts all over; there’s Phat Jack in here, they get really thick stems.” The Phat Jack is a beautiful shape, tall and round. Another dark orange-red pumpkin variety has completely different, flat proportions—these are the Rouge vif d’Etampes.

With countless varieties of pumpkins available, it’s a wonder how they choose the 17 different varieties they grow. “I like the ornamental ones more—the Fairytale and the Bat Wing, the Jack-Be-Little. My husband goes more for the big ones,” she says. The names are as colorful as the pumpkins—Prizewinner is a new carving pumpkin; Knucklehead, with warts; Mr. Wrinkles, with a wrinkled skin.

Anyone interested in picking their own pumpkins only needs to bring rubber boots. “You just have to carry them back to the barn—wheelbarrows and carts are provided,” Farrell notes. “All the carving ones are sold by weight because of so many different varieties. Sugar pumpkins are sold per pumpkin-$3.50 this year.”

One of the best carving pumpkins is Old Zeb, a very symmetrical shape, says Shannon. “They have twisty stems and are kind of hollow inside, so easy to scoop out—they’re always kind of perfect looking.”

Shamrock Farms ships to several local grocery stores. “We always send them really nice ones. The stores tend to sell out of whatever we give them!” They ship every weekend in October, and start early in the morning. “My sons have an endless supply of friends that love working here,” says Farrell. “So we’ll get like eight kids to come out and help. We pile up the trailer with the pumpkins, bring them to the barn, then my husband Mike and I weigh them and wash them, and the kids load them back in. We deliver them in the Shamrock Farm crates, so people can see they’re local pumpkins.” Shannon makes sure there are enough pumpkins remaining for the U-Pick however, selling about 60 per cent of their crop to stores and saving the rest for people to search through.

Halloween is the peak of the pumpkins’ year and Shamrock Farm is an enthusiastic participant in the festivities. The barn is set up with a Halloween display, some of which remains year-round. “My husband makes everything—like a bigger-than-life-sized witch stirring a cauldron that smokes with a fog machine, and skeletons up in the loft, with sound effects and scary music. My husband loves Halloween!” Farrell says. The boys dress up in costumes as well, and help answer questions. “I tell them we can scare the moms but not the really little kids!”

At the end of October, Farrell says, “We breathe a big sigh of relief! Then I start making soaps for the winter.” At the house where the soap-making and canning is centred, Farrell introduces Ev, her “number one canning helper”. Ev, a longtime family friend, is available to help at a moment’s notice with the labor-intensive tasks. “I just tell her, all you have to do is holler!” she says.

The aroma of lavender mingles with other delicious scents at the soap rack. “I make 14 different varieties of goat’s milk soap,” Farrell says. “I have ‘Scent of Spring’, which has lavender and grapefruit essential oil; a plain soap for my son who has eczema so he can’t have any soap with chemicals or scents in it; this one has red clover blossom, lavender and ylang-ylang.” The newest soap, ‘Scent of Summer’, has the fruity scent of lemongrass. To complete the collection there is of course a pumpkin soap. “This has organic pumpkin puree in it, plus oil of cloves and pumpkin seeds with goat’s milk.” The amber-colored soap smells good enough to eat—just one more way to make full use of the bounty of the autumn harvest of pumpkins.

Shamrock Farm is located at 2276 Anderton Road in Comox and is open every day in October from 10 till 5. “We’re open in the rain, open for Thanksgiving —our big sign board will be out at the driveway,” says Farrell. “We’ll have pumpkins on all the fence posts in both directions—when people see the pumpkins there they will know we’re open for pumpkin picking!”

For more information and directions visit: www.shamrockfarm.ca