SUMMERLAND REVIEW THE VOICE OF OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1908
VOLUME 65 - ISSUE
WHAT’S INSIDE:
NO. 46 • S U M M E R L A N D, B.C. • T H U R S D AY,
Justin Kripps piloted his Canada 3 team to 16th in the first World Cup events.
NOVEMBER
15,
2012
•
20
PA G E S
•
$1.15
INCLUDING
Power rates to rise by John Arendt
Bobsleigh team
WWW.SUMMERLANDREVIEW.COM
Summerlanders will pay more for electrical power in 2013 as the municipality passes on a rate increase from FortisBC. On Tuesday evening, council voted to increase
the rates by 4.2 per cent, the same amount as the FortisBC increase. Initially, the application from FortisBC, filed on June 30, called for an increase of 6.5 per cent, but after a review by the B.C. Utilities Commission and some adjust-
ments, the increase was reduced. Municipal treasurer Ken Ostraat said power purchase costs are the single biggest cost of the municipality’s electrical utility. The increase by FortisBC will increase the
municipality’s costs by roughly $280,000. There are also additional costs for the municipality with two per cent increase in labour rates and increased materials costs. The reintroduction of the Provincial Sales Tax
HST
and the elimination of the Harmonized Sales Tax will increase the total costs of materials by seven per cent, since municipalities can no longer receive a rebate of the full amount of sales tax paid.
See RATE Page 11
Page 17
Generous gang
Garnett Valley Gang hands out lots of donations.
Page 13
No-bullying zone
Committee works for anti-bullying attitudes.
Page 3
Remembering
More photos of Summerland’s Remembrance Day ceremony.
Page 10
Officers change
Two long-time leaders of Food Bank step down.
Page 13
Lights fest
Summerland’s Festival of Lights set to switch on for 25th time.
Page 8
Music winners
Two girls advance in Fresh Talent Quest.
Page 16
Remembering
John Arendt Summerland Review
Summerland veterans and members of the Royal Canadian Legion were among the hundreds who took part in the Remembrance Day ceremony in Memorial Park on Nov. 11.
YOUR SMILE You should only look back to see how far you’ve come.
Students plan day of silence by John Arendt
Summerland Secondary School will be a little quieter on Nov. 22 as students observe a day of silence. The initiative, organized by Grade 10 student Abhishek Lekhi, along with Ryan Varchol, is an initiative to raise awareness of children who do
not have a voice in thirdworld countries. Last year, 50 students took part in the first We Are Silent campaign at the school. The initiative raised $1,100. The money went to build a school in Haiti. This year Lekhi hopes to have 75 participants raising $1,500. By the end of last week,
between 70 and 80 students had already signed up. He added that some teachers have also agreed to take part this year and will be conducting their classes in silence. “It’s a whole school movement,” Lekhi said. Lekhi said he became aware of the need for the initiative when he was
in India with his family last year, an experience he describes as “a huge eye-opener.” While there is a growing middle class in India, he said he also noticed a lot of poverty in the country. Lekhi and Varchol have produced a 1:56 video on YouTube.com, featuring students at the school
with black electrical tape over their mouths. The video can be seen online at youtube.com/ watch?v=uIXF9fXDXbk. Donations will be accepted for the effort. Money can be dropped off at the Summerland Secondary School office. The money will go to building a library in Tanzania in 2013.