TWO BUSINESSES WIN AWARDS
In a small informal gathering over lunch last Thursday at the Princeton Light & Power building, two local high-volume energy customers received Environmental Excellence Awards.Perry Feser, who works in the PowerSense program for FortisBC, gave a brief overview of the Young Life project.
The youth camp required an extension of the current power line an additional 9-kilometres for service at the RockRidge Canyon property.
Heating and cooling options were explored with thermal storage being chosen.
"This decision will save them thousands of dollars in heating and cooling costs compared to the propane or electric heating/cooling options," Feser said.
Other energy efficient choices made at the site included low E argon windows and high efficiency lighting.
"The total energy savings is over 1-gigawatt hour in electricity, enough to meet the needs of 70 homes."
Young Life received a rebate of $31,000 in 2004 and the 2005 rebate could amount to more than that figure.
Weyerhaeuser's Princeton operation was also honoured.
"We have a Partner in Efficiency Agreement in place and make an effort to see them on a regular basis and help them with energy efficiency upgrades," Feser explained.
Recent improvements noted include compressed air improvements, EE motors, VSDıs installed on motors, new log decks built to high energy efficient standards and new kilns build to high standards.
"In 2004 the main upgrade they made was improving their compressed air system," Feser said. "They essentially revamped the way the compressors were controlled so they would operate in a more efficient manner."
The upgrade has been estimated to save at least 300,000 kilowatt hours in power, or enough to meet the power needs of 20 homes.
"We can definitely see the savings occurring at Weyerhaeuser comparing production output to kilowatt hours used," Feser said.
LOCAL PARENTS SHUN DRUG SEMINAR
There are now more illegal drugs on the street, the drugs are easier to buy, the kids who use them are younger than ever, there is more intravenous drug use, and more kids than ever are dying from drug use.Out of the 21 people who attended the RCMP seminar on drugs, only a handful had children in the vulnerable age group.
On March 14, at Princeton Secondary School, Cpl. Sam Fedyk said a smart, knowledgeable parent is the best preventative for substance abuse. Parents are the role models children tend to follow, and if the parents are drug-free, the children will be drug-free.
The number one cause of death of people under 20 is from accidents related to drug and alcohol abuse. Eighty percent of all crimes, including home invasion, are the result of drug users looking for money or saleable goods. The problem is serious everywhere.
Watch your kid for drugs
If you are the parent of a child age 11 or older, start watching for drug abuse now.First, educate yourself about illegal drugs, because your kid is a target. Next, educate your kids about drugs, and tell them they are targets. Then watch your kids. Look for items and/or money missing from home. Look for changes in behaviour, especially eruptions of violent or incoherent (psychotic) behaviour. Look for drug paraphernalia.
Cpl. Sam Fedyk is an RCMP officer assigned to the Drug Awareness Service in the Okanagan Region. He has eight years of drug enforcement experience. He has teenagers of his own, and he works with teenagers.
BC Bud is dangerous
Cpl. Fedyk talked about the casual attitude of people toward marijuana use, and noted "pot" smoked in the 1970ıs was mild compared with what is commonly available today.The 1970's product had a THC level of two percent. BC Bud today has 30 percent THC level. He added that recent research in New Zealand indicates daily pot smokers will develop pyschosis. He had scornful words for those who want to legalize marijuana.
He showed photos of the number of drugs picked up in one bust. Most of the items were pills and capsules. These look innocent enough, but the pills contain a mix of chemicals with unpredictable results. Some of the pills defied scientific analysis.
Kids do not know what they are buying or whether it may kill them. Usually, the dope dealers (often other kids) do not know what is in the drugs they sell.
Long term damage from meth
Crystal meth is the most dangerous street drug available. It may be sold as Ecstasy, or Ice, and it is highly addictive, worse than crack cocaine.It is a stimulant, and is often part of the all-night party scene. Meth brings on psychiatric problems delusions, hallucinations, violence and suicide. Some meth users suffer psychosis and never recover.
Meth users grind their teeth, pick at sores, do not eat for days, and may finally sleep so deeply they cannot be awakened.
SENIORS AND HEALTH CARE TO BE DISCUSSED
Rudy Lawrence was born and raised in Victoria, BC. He is married with seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.He worked for the Provincial Government for a number of years, primarily as an auditor of credit unions and eventually senior auditor for insurance and real estate.
Lawrence had a second career in senior management in Credit Union and retired from the Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Upon retirement he established an insurance agency in Vancouver, worked as a business consultant to the BC Memorial Society and a number of other small businesses in the lower mainland.
Eventually Lawrence became involved in being a volunteer worker for seniors. In 1989, he was elected chairman of the Vancouver Branch of the BC Government Retired Employees Association and in 1991 was elected first-vice president of the retired government employees provincial body.
In 1994 Lawrence was elected to the board of directors of the Silver Harbour Senior Centre in North Vancouver.
He held the position of president of the board for two years, 1999 and 2000.
In 1999 he was appointed by the Provincial Government to the Senior's Advisory Steering Committee to develop the provincial programs to recognize the International Year of the Older Person. Also during this year Lawrence worked on the steering committee for the successful "Seniors Summit" held in Vancouver.
In 2000, he was elected President of the Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of BC.
"Under my leadership, the membership went from 31 to 72 affiliated seniors organizations and from 46 to 185 individual memberships," he says.
In 2003 and 2004 Lawrence served as first vice-president of the National Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation of Canada and is currently a BC representative on the federal governmentıs Seniors Advisory Committee.
Hear Rudy Lawrence speak on issues of concern to all seniors at 7:00 PM Thursday, March 31st in the Legion Hall.
The evening will also feature BC Nurses Union President Debra McPherson.
She will speak on Health Care concerns.
The evening is being sponsored by CUPE Local 847, CUPE Local 608, HEU, Steelworkers Local 1-423, BCGEU, BCNU and Princeton District Teachers' Union.
