Permanent and perfect is the motto of permanent makeup artist Laurie Paxton, who has opened her new business, The Symmetry Studio, at 13-1873 Spall Rd. in the Spall Business Centre.
Relocating from the West Kootenays, Paxton specializes in micro blading eyebrows, known as feather or hair stroke, soft tap micropigmentation for permanent eyeliner and has recently added eyelash service. She donates her time and offers free services to women recovering from cancer or suffering from alopecia or other illnesses that can result in the loss of eyebrows. Paxton applied the service of permanent eyeliner on both my top and bottom lids and I absolutely love it. No more smudging, using Q-tips to straighten far from perfect lines and the liner looks perfect and natural. My eyes now look great with just mascara even if I do not want to apply eyeshadow. She is available seven days a week with evening and weekend appointments. The Symmetry Studio has come on board as a Maxine DeHart, United Way-Ramada Hotel Drive-Thru Breakfast sponsor. She plans to offer a special in every breakfast bag along with a grand prize for one lucky winner of a free brow service worth a value of $450. Call 778-581-8848 or email laurie@thesymmetrystudio.com.
The first grape crush began at Mt. Boucherie Winery and is under the guidance of a new management team. Taking the reins is CEO Craig McCulloch while Peter Contos takes the lead on wine marketing, along with celebrating the winery’s 15th anniversary. With 100 per cent of their grapes sourced exclusively from their own vineyards, the West Kelowna winery is known for their elegant whites and aromatic Riesling whose last vintage garnered a gold medal at the 2016 WineAlign National Awards of Canada as well as their full bodied reds. Guiding the grape selection since 2009 is wine maker Jim Faulkner with grapes grown in unique soil conditions being a former volcano site. The winery produces 21 reds, whites and Ice wines.
The Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission has received the Excellence in Economic Development Gold Award for the special events category by the IEDC for its Make Digital Medial Here: Workforce and Investment Attraction Campaign.
This award recognizes the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials and the year’s most influential leaders. It honours organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban and rural communities. Corie Griffiths is the manager, economic development of COEDC.
Tom Dyas, the president of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, has been recognized as a leading representative of the Chamber’s Group Insurance Plan at the program’s national conference. The top 100 Chambers Plan representatives from across the country were honoured as the event for experts who met stringent qualifying criteria. Dyas and junior advisor Lyndon Dyas, of TD Benefits, are the exclusive plan advisors in their area.
Congratulations to the District of Lake Country for their recognition as a business friendly community. Of the 11 finalists for the B.C. Small Business Roundtable Open for Business Award, Lake Country was one of five B.C. communities awarded the 2016 Open for Business Award.
Practicing in his field for over 15 years and now opening a new business in Kelowna, Lane Sherman is an organizational consultant with specialization in teams, leadership, engagement, change, process facilitation and conflict resolution. Sherman has an MA in Leadership and in 2015 published a book entitled The Keys to Collaboration: How to build a great team or fix the one you’ve got. He is a skilled coach, trainer and facilitator with experience across sectors, cultures, age and industries. Before moving to Kelowna from Victoria, Sherman was a member of several advisory groups. Call 250-592-8250; online lanesherman.com.
Lexabi Communications is growing and so is their team. Sandy Shepherd has joined the firm as a business development specialist with a background in business coaching and marketing. Contact Sandy via email at Sandy.Lexabi@gmail.com.
The school trustees have publicly welcomed the following new employees to the Central Okanagan School District this term: Jarret Atkins, vice-principal, Davidson Road Elementary School; Nathen Elliott, vice-principal, Peter Greer Elementary School and Black Mountain Elementary School; Sakura Hirata, international homestay coordinator; and Susan Stevenson, principal, Springvalley Elementary School.
The Maxine DeHart-United Way Drive-Thru Breakfast is just one week away—Thursday, Oct. 13, from 6 to 9 a.m. Along with the sponsors that are featured in my column photo this week on page A14, many more will be there to have fun and serve you. The staff at Coca-Cola will be on hand in the line-up giving out Dasani water as will Chances Casino which will be donating coupons for the bags and also giving out a gift in the line-up. Perkins has already printed its coupons for the bags and Sears has delivered its beautiful cosmetic and fragrance gift baskets. The Hudson’s Bay has generously given many $25 gift certificates to help out with your early Christmas shopping. Lake City Casinos are bringing their bright yellow casino bus through the lineup and the rumour is that they are all wearing pajamas to keep me company. They always bring a huge surprise. You will also find the popular Arby’s coupons in your bags that everyone loves. The kid’s bags will feature lots of McDonald’s coupons along with a whole lot of other goodies, including gifts from Chapters. So walk, run, drive or blade to the Ramada Hotel. Everything raised stays right here in our community and there are no administration costs to this event.
The Royal Canadian Legion branch 26 is in need of a volunteer coordinator willing to take over the task of coordinating the efforts of branch volunteers. This is a challenging but vital position. If this interests you contact any member of the executive at 250-762-4117.
David Miller is the new owner of Platinum Personnel and Business Services, 202-1475 Ellis St. Sherri Chapman has sold the company after 17 years and will now concentrate on her other company, Platinum Technologies Inc. Miller will be a hands-on owner with his new team and will continue as usual with the same staff and service. Call 250-979-7200; online platinumpersonnel.ca.
Kudos to City of Kelowna employees Andrew Hunsberger, Andrew Gibbs and Terry Barton who were involved in successfully resuscitating a drowning senior this summer. The three employees met in the Upper Mission area to do an inspection in the Southridge development. A resident came out on a deck and yelled down to the group that there was someone in trouble in a pool, pointing to a nearby home. They and a couple of bystanders zeroed in on some moaning coming from a backyard and tried to get through a side gate. Hunsberger jumped the fence into the backyard where a mature lady was trying desperately to keep an unconscious man’s head above water. She managed to bring him into the shallow end of the pool, but could not get him out and was exhausted. They helped to pull the swimmers out of the water while Gibbs called 911 and Hunsberger began CPR. The man was not breathing and was blue. With support from 911 operators, Hunsberger figures he did about three sets of 30 breaths before the fellow started taking breaths on his own. He was a 69-year-old tourist from England and had suffered an aneurism while swimming. He did not regain consciousness before the paramedics arrived, but is now recovering back home in England. The efforts of everyone around that day saved his life.
Kelowna Women in Business will host Giving Back, a luncheon on Oct. 12 at the Ramada Hotel & Conference Centre, 11:30 a.m. Payment is not accepted at the door so register online at www.kwib.org by Oct. 7.
Former Kelowna chef and sustainable seafood-driven chef Ned Bell is publishing a series of cookbooks for the at-home chef dedicated to seafood choices. His first book scheduled to hit shelves in the fall of 2017 focuses on the Pacific Ocean and will be co-authored by food and travel writer, Valerie Howes. Bell is the Ocean Wise executive chef at the Vancouver Aquarium. He plans to conduct a cross-Canada book tour to further spread messages to Canadians on the importance of choosing ocean-friendly seafood. He is now in the process of fundraising to meet necessary publishing and distribution costs and Chefs for Oceans has set up a GoFundMe page.
The Winnipeg Social for Peggers is Oct.22 at the East Kelowna Hall, 2704 East Kelowna Rd., from 7:30 p.m. to midnight. Tickets available at Milkcrate Records, 1551 Ellis St., or call either 250-862-8965 or 250-808-5605.
MADD Central Okanagan will host its third annual Candlelight Vigil of Hope and Remembrance on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2 p.m., at The Laurel Packinghouse on Ellis Street.
Birthdays of the week: Dave Proctor (Oct. 5); Ben Neiland (Oct. 5); Tarcicio Rosales (Oct. 5); Marlene Murray (Oct. 6); Rick Montgomery (Oct. 6); Gurinder Pabla (Oct. 7); Jordie Moffat (Oct. 7); Harold Heyming (Oct. 7); Wendy Weller (Oct. 7); Cathie Lock (Oct. 8); Allen Burke (Oct. 8); Virginia Pisio (Oct. 10); Karen Roen (Oct. 9); Amy Zurrer (Oct. 9); Irene Morrison (Oct. 11); Pat Rea (Oct. 11).