Spades Tactical has just opened at #108 – 591 Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna, beside Shoppers Drug Mart. Relocating from Vancouver and in the industry for 12 years, the store is owned and operated by Abdul Malik, and specializes in outdoor gear and tactical supplies. The shop is chock-full of t-shirts, jackets, hats, scarves, gloves, bandanas, footwear, outerwear, canteens, backpacks, pants, duffle bags, jungle boots, flashlights, pocket and hunting knives, paracord, goggles, belts, and smoke grenades. They stock outdoor gear for hiking, workwear, camouflage wear and everything related to Airsoft. Some of the brands they carry are ASG, United Cutlery, Air Venturi, G & G Armament, Fenix, Kershaw, and Ka-Bar. Open seven days a week. spadestactical@gmail.com
After 34 years in the newspaper industry, business marketing consultant for the Kelowna Capital News, West K News and Lake Country Calendar, Rick Methot is retiring December 31. Starting his newspaper career as a paper boy when he was 13 years old and still delivering papers every week for to his customers at age 67, Rick has come full circle. He started his sales representative career in Nanaimo for 12 years, with a stop in Port Alberni for eight years and Medicine Hat, Alberta for two years. The last 10 years have been spent at the Kelowna Capital News. After taking some time off, Rick will be calling on local businesses, promoting the rink boards at the Capital News Centre and you may even see him as a shuttle driver for one of the local car dealerships. Karen Hill is the group publisher of the Kelowna Capital News. www.kelownacapnews.com
Tucked away in the mall behind Wendy’s is Formosa Tea Café at #6 – 2070 Harvey Avenue. Owned and operated by Amily and Andy Tsai, this delightful café, which at this time is takeout and delivery only, serves out-of-the-ordinary menu items, beverages, and refreshments, using premier products and ingredients. Formosa offers certified organic tea and coffee along with many varieties of hot loose tea, espresso, iced tea, pastries, croissants, and Taiwanese rice noodles. Traditional Taiwanese desserts served are taro and pudding cake, matcha chocolate cake and specialty birthday cakes made to order. They offer a great coffee substitute Yer Ba Mate, which is high caffeine tea that people use to quit drinking coffee which is extremely healthy and Ali Shan Oolong or Gen Mai Cha tea from Japan. What makes Formosa famous is their authentic bubble tea beverage which is a traditional Taiwanese beverage made with large tapioca-like textured beads and iced tea. It is served hot or cold and the bubbles are cooked on premise three times a day to keep them fresh. It is served with a large straw so you can also drink the bubbles. Amily sent me home with Honey Hibiscus, Maco Coffee Ole, Mocha Bubble Coffee and their traditional original milk tea, all made by barista, Hanson Tsai. All were different and delicious. Formosa also can use milk substitutes for dairy allergies and offer vegan friendly products. Open seven days a week. www.formosateacafe.ca
Showroom Shine Detailing owned and operated by Adrian Bonner and Susan Atkinson is located at Unit C – 3646C Hwy. 97N next to the Esso, close to Reid’s Corner. With the snow, then the melt and then sloppy weather, it is a great time to take advantage of getting your vehicle detailed inside and out with Showroom Shine’s mini detailing special available until mid-January 2022. The business specializes in high-quality professional auto detailing services and details all and any types of vehicles, including cars, trucks, boats, semi-trucks tractors, RV/trailers, motorcycles, ATV/UTV’s, small aircraft and even helicopters. They offer engine cleaning, decal removal, cut polishing with innovative automotive detailing technology and coatings. Don’t have time to leave your car for detailing? The company offers pick-up and delivery detail service while you are at work. www.detailkelowna.com
Context Group is a Kelowna based company with extensive experience working in senior roles in the planning, local government, consulting, and development field throughout the Okanagan. With principal Mark Koch MPA, MES, MCIP, RPP at the helm, the company is incorporated to assist development and local government clients with their project needs. Their specialties are approvals, economic development, local government, planning and sustainability. They work directly with local governments, land developers, First Nations, non-profits, institutions, and senior levels of government. By crafting collaborative visions, they implement the right strategies needed for the job and have the technical knowledge and employees to get there. www.contextgroup.ca
Mischa Mueller, MA, CFRE is a certified fundraising executive and the new senior development officer, Interior at the BC Cancer Foundation – Kelowna Centre, located at 399 Royal Avenue inside the BC Cancer Centre. Formerly with the KGH Foundation, where he was part of five capital campaigns, Mischa will collaborate with the community to raise money to fund innovations in cancer research and treatment in the Interior and the North. The BC Cancer Foundation is the fundraising partner of BC Cancer, with its six-world-class centers and research programs across the province. Mischa is also the President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Okanagan Chapter. Mischa.mueller@bccancer.bc.ca; www.bccancerfoundation.com
Huge kudos and thank-you to Roxanne Millard of Shoppers Drug Mart Plaza 33 for her continued exceptional service. Sophie Dyck is the Assistant Manager of the store.
Just in time for the holidays, long-time friend Andy James (Andy & TJ) is the voice of a cartoon streaming on Kidoodle.TV and Discovery Kids! Andy voices the cherubic and loveable Frosty on The Jolliest Elf. It is an animated holiday singing competition for kids and has amassed over 300,000 streams. The entire show was adlibbed and recorded over the summer from their home studio and studios all over North America. This year alone, Andy and TJ’s voiced-over business, www.marriedWithMics.com have voiced projects for well-known brands like Adidas, Del Monte, RustOleum, 3M, Coca Cola and Deloitte. The duo is now on mornings at 103.9 the Lake.
Happy 59th Anniversary Peter and Olga Anutooshkin (Dec. 28).
The Canadian Home Builder’ Association – Central Okanagan (CHBA-CO) has announced the finalists for the 30th Annual Okanagan Housing Awards, which celebrate the best project of the year in new home construction, residential renovation and interior design. This year’s finalists are headlined by Candel Custom Homes with eleven nominations and Edward West Luxury Homes with nine nominations, both based in Kelowna. Interior Design companies Isabey Interiors (7) and Hannah Katey Interior Design (6) have also been highlighted for their work in addition to being nominated for Designer of the Year. On the supplier side, local cabinet manufacturer Norelco Cabinets (15) and Westwood Fine Cabinetry (9) lead the way. Ray Wynsouw is the general manager of Candel Custom Homes Ltd. www.candelcustomhomes.com
Partners Peter McFadden and Amrit Buttar of McFadden-Buttar and Associates, CPA’s are supporting local. The company has participated in many local interviews including the Impact Tomorrow Foundation thank-you gala by sponsoring a table to thank first responders and front-line workers, donated to Food For Thought of the Central Okanagan so kids do not go to school hungry, supported the Child Advocacy Centre, Christmas Hampers though New Life Church, HER International initiatives, and the Society of Hope short-term living housing. New to their group of charities this year were Proud for Prom where they donated prom essentials as well as Metro Community where they donated socks and under garments for the marginalized in the downtown core. Terri McDonald is the Executive Assistant of the company. www.mbacpa.ca
Minds in Motion is a fun fitness and social program offered by the Alzheimer Society of B.C. intended for people living with early-stage dementia and their care partner. Register to attend together at the Parkinson Rec Centre for the new session starting January 12. Kick-off the New Year right. Andrea Campbell is the Minds in Motion Coordinator & Support and Education Coordinator, First Link. www.alzheimerbc.org
You will not want to miss a drive-by at the 875 Theodora Road Christmas Light Display. They continue to fundraise for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Fund and have their famous Penguin Express 3D train, tracks, and trestles on display. Theodora residents have a one reindeer open sleigh for folks to sit in and take photos of their family with the backdrop to display. This year they have a Silhouette Light Show with bells, candy canes, candles, angels, and wreaths on a twenty-foot grid.
Birthdays of the week – Colleen Light Minchau (Dec. 22); Noel Wentworth (Dec. 22); Cliff Serwa (Dec. 23); Dee Crawford (Dec. 23); Genelle Davidson (Dec. 24); Joe Creron (Dec. 24); Dave Cullen (Dec. 24); Rob Vincent (Dec. 24); Mike McGuire (Dec. 25); Doug Gilchrist (Dec. 25); Marie Yvonne Cleaver (Dec. 25); Chris Cleaver (Dec. 26); Terry Balfour, Revelstoke (Dec. 26); Laura Metcalf (Dec. 27); David Burke (Dec. 27); Alex Fong (Dec. 27); Sharon Whiting (Dec. 27); Dino Padula (Dec. 27); Jon Roung (Dec. 28); Carol Large (Dec. 28).
Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna City Councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546 or 250-862-7662 or Email max@maxinedehart.ca
