Don Graston and his son, Aaron Graston are the owner/operators of Valley Gold Advertising, which produces the 2017 Okanagan Lifestyle Coupon Book for Kelowna and West Kelowna. With their third book now available, they sell them through schools, businesses and charities making them an awesome fundraiser. This is not your ordinary coupon book. It’s a glossy, up-scale book with 2-for-1 coupons for many of the area businesses, including coffee and tea houses, restaurants, pubs, café’s, fast food, attractions, juice, and much more. The books are $20 and schools and charities make $10 for every book that sells. That means that no money has to be expensed until the books are sold. Okanagan Lifestyle would make a great gift. You can view the product, where to purchase them as well as the coupons on their website at www.lifestylecoupons.ca. Some of the places that they can be purchased are Heritage Christian School, KSS Band, KLO Middle School, Bankhead Elementary, KSS Volleyball and Dairy Queen, Orchard Park Mall. For more information call Don at 250-212-8995 or dongrast@gmail.com.
CPA, CA Jillian Battaglio has started a new accounting firm just in time to cure your winter tax time blues. Creekside Accounting Ltd. at 1024 Calmels Crescent is a boutique accounting firm that specializes in helping individuals and small businesses fulfill their taxation reporting requirements. Jillian and her team will work with you to understand your needs and file your tax return in a timely manner. Whether you are a business owner or a start-up entrepreneur Creekside can help reduce your stress and let you focus on your business. The company offers a variety of services including accounting, bookkeeping, taxation and consulting with knowledge, experience and expertise. Call 236-420-4801 or visit www.creeksideaccounting.ca.
The City of Kelowna won the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2016 budget. This the 15th year in a row that the city has received this award which recognizes governments that prepare budget documents of the very highest quality that reflects both the guidelines established by the National Advisory Council on State and Local Budgeting and the GFOA’s best practices on budgeting.
Congratulations to JoAnne Galigan who is celebrating her 20th year as a volunteer with the Kelowna Hostesses. For many years, the Kelowna Hostesses have volunteered their time to help with many different charity events in our community. Brenda Scruton is the coordinator. If you would like to join call 250-452-6719.
Britt Vig, CPA, CA is a new partner at BDO located at #400 – 1631 Dickson Road. Britt has over 15 years of experience and particularly focuses on clients in the real estate, construction, forestry and retail and consumer business industries. Call 778-760-3976.
Halsa Natural Sleep Company, owned by principle owner John Pazdzior has opened in Orchard Park Plaza, 2080C Springfield Road (formerly Discover Wines across from Lee Valley). Halsa means health or healthy in Swedish. The company specializes in high quality organic beds, mattresses, toppers, pillows, comforters and sheets. Their mattress sizes include baby crib, twin, twin XL, double, queen, king and California King. Queen and king mattresses are customizable and are available by special order. This year, they are adding bamboo bedding and electric adjustable beds to their product line. Halsa mattresses and bedding are handmade in Canada from organic raw materials with primary ingredients being organic rubber, wool, cotton and untreated wood. They are breathable and allow the transfer of moisture naturally. If your partner prefers a medium soft mattress and you prefer firm, they can build it that way. If you wish to change the level of firmness in your mattress, they will do this free for the first 90 days that you own your mattress. Halsa also offers a semi private test area for after hour appointments so you can test a mattress of your choosing in relative privacy. They offer a 20 year warranty on mattresses and a three year warranty on pillows, comforters, sheets and toppers. Delivery and set up is free within the greater Kelowna area, including West Kelowna, Peachland and Lake Country. Anthony Martin is the manager of the store. Open Tuesday to Saturday. Call 250-980-9451. www.halsasleep.ca.
Learn how you can be a first time home buyer and also have a chance to enter to win an Apple iPad. Mission Group, partnering with BMO, Canada Mortgage and Housing and others is hosting a First Time Home Buyer Seminar at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Centre, Feb. 9 from 7 to 8 p.m. There will be several presenters. Seating is limited. Register with Jennifer Knight, Mission Group Sales Administrator at 250-448-0021 or jknight@missiongroup.ca.
Believe it or not, there is still over $500,000 in bursaries that have been unclaimed in the Interior of B.C. Interior Savings Credit Union is calling on students to claim their share of the Million Dollar Bursary Fund before Feb. 1. For the fourth year in a row, Interior Savings has committed to awarding one thousand, $1,000 bursaries. At this point there is still over $500,000 available for students to access and Interior Savings wants to make sure the money does not go unused. There is still time for students to become an Interior Savings member to qualify for the $1,000 bursary and for all the benefits membership offers. To be eligible for a bursary this year, students have until Feb. 1 to become an Interior Savings member. The program is intended for students between 17 and 24 who are entering or returning to full-time study towards a degree, diploma or trade certification program at a designated post-secondary institution with classes starting between September 2017 and August 2018. The deadline for a member to submit a bursary application is May 1. Visit www.interiorsavings.com for details.
To kick off 2017, Sapphire and Pearl Events is giving away a Kelowna event or wedding décor package for free (up to $1,500 in value). The contest is open to anyone hosting a wedding or charity event in Kelowna or West Kelowna, with submission deadline of February 20th. For the full contest details, visit www.sapphireandpearl.ca or email event specialist Melina Moran at info@sapphireandpearl.ca
Birthdays of the week –Ed Kaskiw (Jan. 24); Colin Elliott (Jan. 24); Robert Taylor (Jan. 25); Former Mayor Sharon Shepherd (Jan. 25); Wayne Evans (Jan. 25); Tom McMillan (Jan. 26); Bill Sinclair (Jan. 26); Lillian Colpron (Jan. 27); Peter Nicolson (Jan. 28); Brock Raddatz (Jan. 28); Dave Trifunov (Jan. 28); Dr. Bernie Legatto (Jan. 28); Rick Potter (Jan. 31).
Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna city councilor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546 or 250-862-7662, fax 250-860-3173 or e-mail maxdehart@telus.net.