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The Invermere
ALLEY A CHO C
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Twirlers tap their toes in Valley Life
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BERNIE RAVEN CHRIS RAVEN 1-866-598-7415 TEAMRAVEN.CA Offices in Panorama, Invermere & Fairmont
SMART RUNNING
FEATURE: Gang 4 GANG activity down in valley
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Around 100 orienteers competed in B.C. Orienteering Championships this past weekend and the adventure begun in Invermere on Saturday, September 6th. Competitors then headed south for more orienteering challenges in Kimberley and Cranbrook later that day and on Sunday. The sport forces competitors to find the most efficient route from point A to point B, with unfamiliar geographic obstacles throughout each course.
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New stewardship program has eyes on Columbia Lake ERIN KNUTSON Special to The Valley Echo The Columbia Lake Stewardship Society (CLSS) presides over the Columbia Lake and promises to take their stewardship seriously by preserving the natural ecosystems and beauty inherent to Columbia Lake. The passionate conservationists formulated a new stewardship group in the East Kootenay after establishing there was growing concern by several residents and landowners on the lake. “We officially incorporated as a non-profit organization, initiated lake monitoring every two weeks including water sampling and co-sponsorship with the communities of Culmer, Timber Spring, Spirits Reach, Columbia Ridge and Canal Flats,” said Tracy Flynn, founding member of CLSS. After receiving a grant, the water activist group started working on stewardship activities for promoting awareness
of their group by developing a tool-kit the communities around the lake have for lake users, clean-up initiatives, and shown their support with financial dodistribution of educational materials on nations and in supplying volunteers for protecting and preserving the lake from the water monitoring program.” foreign plant species (invasives) to CoThe formative catalyst for the solumbia Lake residents and users. ciety originated with the community “We received $3,400 in funding from meeting “Columbia Lake and Our Wathe Regional District of the East Koo- tershed,” which received support and tenay (RDEK) re c o g n i t i o n through the from fellow Columbia water conValley Local servators the Conservation Lake WindFund, in order ermere Amto purchase bassadors. water quality The success monitoring of the meetColumbia Lake is now under the watchful eyes ing inspired equipment and to finance of the Columbia Lake Stewardship Society that a vision and formed earlier this year. FILE PHOTO water testa mission ing for 2014,” said Ms. Flynn. “We also statement that helped establish conreceived funding from the RDEK elec- tact with local stewardship organizatoral Area F discretionary grant-in-aid tions dedicated to lake monitoring. in the amount of $2,100 to cover our “CLSS will act as a citizen-oriented, first year’s operational expenses — water stewardship group for Colum-
VJ (Butch) Bishop Owner/Operator 4846 Holland Creek Ridge Rd. Invermere, BC V0A 1K0
bia Lake by encouraging activities and strategies which oversee, monitor, and help sustain its ecology — our vision is to preserve the pristine nature of the lake for the benefit of present and future generations,” said Ms. Flynn. As part of forming a fully comprehensive strategy, CLSS will be consulting with other networks in the regional watersheds, such as the BC Lake Stewardship Society, CBWN, Living Lakes Canada and the Lake Windermere Ambassadors. “We’ve had a great first year and we are thankful for all the support we’ve been given — especially for the mentorship and guidance we received from the LWA,” Ms. Flynn said. “On beautiful mornings, it’s easy to put into words why I love the Columbia Lake and think it’s worth protecting and caring for — the deer are heading down for a drink and it’s picture perfect beautiful. We are lucky to have an unspoiled water source at our doorstep and it’s so important to keep it that way.”
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