Page B6 The Castlegar Sun Wednesday, November 1, 1995 Encounters with ursines can be 'unbearable' “Exit, pursued by a bear.’ A stage direction from Shake- Speare'’s comedy, ‘A Winter's Tale’ We are surrounded by bears, from the consjellations of Ursus Major and U: Minor (the Big and Little Bears) in our northern skies to the bear grass at our feet in the Kootenays and all of the black, brown and grizzly bears in- between. These latter, unfortu- nately, seem to be getting very poor press these days, attacking and biting people, apparently without provocation, at least according to the reports. Though there is frequently more to the Stories than is given in the press and radio. Moreover, treatment of bears over the centuries has been decid- edly spotty. If I had been slaugh- tered in the games in the Roman circus, torn to pieces by dogs in the bear-pits of the 17th and 18th centuries, forced to dance in the streets for the amusement of humans (a practice outlawed only in 1925) and shot for my paws and gall bladder, I'd bea bit testy, too. In short, I have a certain sympathy for the bear tribe. Classed scientifically as the family ursididae and regarded as the largest living carnivores (teat eaters), they are actually omni- vores and will eat anything, other than people. The reverse, of course, is not true. My first experience with bears goes back to early childhood when my parents took me to the old-fashioned Stanley Park Zoo And they mean business British Columbia CGAs from you! Warren W. Chernoff of British Columbia Phone: (604) 732-1211 ‘The Class of 95 Is Ready ‘To Hit The Books. good business. These are the new area, Equipped with all the business acumen and managerial skills the de So whether they work as public practitioners, controllers, financial managers or presidents, they'll be standing head and shoulders above the crowd. From fellow Certitied General Accountants across the province heartfelt congratulations and best wishes. CG. The Certified General Accountants Association 1953 West 8th Ave., Vancouver. B.C V6) ITS ; 282 Fax Wherever Sound Financial Decisions Are Made ynation Carries. Castlegar (604) 732-125: with its monkey house, its bird house and its long row of heavily barred, small cages for the larger birds and mammals. In one of these cages was Ivan Trotsky, a huge Siberian or possibly Kodiac bear (Ursus Maddendorfii), Hour after hour and day after day, he paced his eight-foot long body, sadly and hopelessly, acrossithe 12-foot front of his concrete floored cage, He ‘lived for a very long time, but from that moment I developed a permanent antipathy for old-fashioned zoos. A short while later I was driv- ing with my parents in our big, open McLaughlin Buick. car along a wooded, rural road, of what was then the wilds of Coquitlam. Suddenly, my father jammed on the brakes, shut off the engine and whispered, “Quict, not a sound” and pointed to two bear cubs romping in the gravel a few feet ahead of us. There was a long pause, followed by a crash- ing of bushes and a mother griz- zly bear (Ursus horribilis) burst onto the road, obviously a bit upset, Standing on her hind legs for a better look, she stared at us for a long, silent minute then, dropping to all fours, she gave the kids a disciplinary cuff and pushed them off into the woods without a backward look. “Too close for comfort,” said my father as he started the car up again and OVER MY SHOULDER ° moved cautiously down the road. I have never since met a griz- zly bear, but several brown or black bears (Ursus americanus) have crossed my path, happily without incident, at least to my person. On one such occasion, I was walking home with my brothers from school and we decided to investigate an old logging road. We hadn't gone far when we (a. ~ * TRAIL B.C. F150 4x4 With The Exclusive Grizzly Package SN 139 2795 Highway Drive « Trail, B.C. down, T.P. $11,576 ame PRESSACCO 17338 Home 364-1539 364-0202 * 365-0202 1-800-961-0202 He F aatity Footwear for 2 the whole family ! S family footwear b f Sx ACCESSONTCS inc. Unit 9, 1502 Columbia Plaza, Castlegar, B.C. V1N 4G5 604-365-8402 = é r Es : ‘ : Ps $ & be P EOS 9:45 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Worship Service 'S CLUB WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT 6:00 PM CARLE, Groups for Adults during the week Faithtully serving Castlegar for over 30 years. ‘A Church built on LOVE-ACCEPTANCE-FORGIVENESS ST. DAYID'S ANGLICAN CaURCa 614 Christina Place 8:00 am Holy Communion 10:00 am Family Service Phone: 365-2271 ALL WELCOME I gee Sahebabadadbalniade anh Saadeh: SERGLEAESLLSS LSS Calvary Baptist Church} RZ ST. PETER LUTHERAN WORSHIP TIME 11:15 am SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am 713 - 4th St., Castlegar Rev. V. Tech * 604-354-1527 ALL WELCOME! | | GRACE PRESBYTERIAN 2605 Columbia Ave. SUNDAY WORSHIP - 11:30 am Need a ride to church? Call — Rev. Murray Garvin 1-226-7540 + 365-2438 ferian m Canada €>, CASTLEGAR UNITED CHURCH 4 2224 - 6th Ave., Castlegar Ph. 365-8337 Minister: The Rev. Ann Pollock Worshi and Sunday hool Nursery Care Provided Youth Ministries © Victorious Women « Men Seumenemmmnessieness WATCH FAITH ALIVE ON SHAW CABLE 10 seetenummmnmmenenes Affiliated with Canadian Fellowship of Churches & Ministers CASTLEGAR FULL GOSPEL FELLOWSHIP 1801 Connors Rd. Pastor Stan Block 365-6317 treererereeceecesieccereccs heard a snuffing and grunting Looking up, we saw a large black bear watching us from the top of a cut-bank. As the eldest, | was expected to do'something. So, s. In retrospect, not a particularly good tactic, but it so surprised the bear that he tumbled down the bank, scram- bled to his feet and raced down the road into the woods, while we fled back to the highway. A quite satisfactory outcome, considering the fact bears can run up to S50km/hour. Still later, while camping on Seshelt Peninsula, | was coming home through the woods in the almost pitch dark when, with nerves strung tight, I rounded a large cedar and almost blundered into a great dark mass by the trail. Without thinking, I raised my sin- gle shot .22 rifle—a peashooter— and fired into the middle of the black mass. Nothing happened. A few minutes later, when reason took over from panic, I was in the dim rays of a very tired flashlight that my ‘bear’ was just a stump and had sustained no harm from my attack. It did, however, make a good story for the high school annu- al. Of such poor stuff are writ- ers made. One final story of a saner reac- tion—by someone else. Late this summer, a young woman of my acquaintance and a cooler head, was mushroom pick- ing with a companion on Queen Charlotte Island. They had parked their camper in a remote Clearing in the woods. In the early hours of the morning, she had to answer a call of nature, left the camper and went to the edge of the clear- ing, When she rose and tumed around, there stood a bear within arms reach of her. Recalling the words of an expert on bears she had heard a few days ago on the radio—"don't make any sudden moves, don't run, speak gently to the bear,"-——she said pleasantly: “Good morning, Mr. Bear, how nice to see you out walking so early. Now, if you will only con- tinue your stroll, I will go inside, etc.” To her profound relief, the bear did continue his stroll. Unfortunately at that moment her companion, still in the camper, saw the bear and attempting to frighten it off, started to pound on a set of bongo drums. The bear spun around, and growling angri- ly, started back toward the camper. The young woman screamed, “Stop, stop, you'll get us both killed.” The drum beating stopped. The bear stopped and the young woman said soothingly: “There now, it’s all stopped Mr. Bear. You can continue your stroll, etc.” The bear vanished into the for- est and she into the camper. Some people have a guardian angel draped around each shoulder. This fact is particularly impor- tant, if that is all they have for cover. Otherwise, that stage direction could have read “Exit, pursued naked by a bear.” Wednesday, November 1, 1995 The Castlegar Sun = Lift Your Voice - Jennifer Bevans, left, and Larissa Leason of the Staniey Humphries Secondary School choir perform Wednesday. Festival of Trees Dec. 1 Festival of Trees It’s Festival of Trees time again. This year's gala banquet and tree auction will be held Dec, | at the Trail Memorial Centre Gym around the theme of “An Olde Fashioned Christmas.” The evening fea- tures a live auction of elegantly decorated Christmas trees, a sumptuous dinner, live music and a silent auction of handcrafted Christmas gift items. Tickets are $75 per person for which you receive a $50 tax receipt. Tickets are available at the Selkirk College campusjin Nelson, Trail or Castlegar. Dining . The Rosemont Dining Room at the Level II Cook training facility at the Nel- son campus, is once again accept- ing reservations for a singularly unique fine dining experience on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings starting at 5:30 pm. The emphasis is on creativity in prepa- ration and presentation. To reserve your table, contact the Nelson campus at 352-3231. Construction Program residents on UIC, Social Assistance or— anyone interested in learning the correct fundamen- tals of residential construction in the Grand Forks area; the next Residential Construction Program begins Nov. 6 in Grand Forks. For details contact Selkirk College in Grand Forks. Health Workshop Cc ity Educati y in Trail p a work- shop on worksite health promotion facilitated by Stephen Duck on Thursday, Nov. 9 in the Recital Room at the Greater Trail Community Centre from 8:30 am to Ipm. Workplace health programs are self funding in savings on medical costs, reduced bs ism and i d employee productivity. Come hear about Working Well. Contact Communi- ty Edu in Trail for regi ion or more infor- mation, Liaison Team The B.C. High School Liaison Team will again be SELKIRK COLLEGE BULLETIN College Admissions Office. For JOE LINTZ stopping at Selkirk College for public information sessions Nov. 9 from 7-9pm in the main lounge of the Castlegar campus, Interested individuals who wish to meet with a representative from UB! FU, UVic, BCIT, University College of the Cariboo, Okanagan University College, OLA, WKTEP and Selkirk College are invited, No appointment is nec- essary. Representatives are seen on_a first-come, first-served bas For information, contact the Counselling office at the Castlegar campus, Language Index The Language Proficiency Index test is next offered on Nov. 18 at the Castlegar campus. A suc- cessful score on this test meets the English 12 requirement for admission to college and univer- sity programs. Registration forms are available from any Selkirk more information or registration details, contact (604) 822-4146. Reading A noon-hour reading by Cana- dian writer Kate Braid is slated for the Castlegar campus Thursday, Nov. 2 at 12:15 pm in room K-10 as part of the Canadian Writers’ Series. The follow- ing week, Winlaw poet, essayest and writer Tom Wayman will read at the Castlegar campus at 12:15pm on Wed., Nov. 8 in the Sentinel Lecture Theatre. These free readings are open to all and are sponsored by the Selkirk College Dept. of Language and Literature and the Canada Council. Resource Certificate Wildland and Forest Resource/Technicians! Selkirk College introduces an Advanced Certificate in Renewable Resources, designed specifically to allow forest technologists to develop skills in busi- ness management and to learn advanced technolo- gies such as GPS, GIS, Traverse PC and more. Another option can lead technologists toward degree options in Forestry or Resource Management. The first Advanced Certificate program begins in Jan- uary 1996. Applications are invited now. For details, contact Angus Graeme at the Castlegar campus. 100% B.C. OWNED & OPERATED Guest speaker addresses Red Cross Join Lynn Orstad, Red Cross relief worker and hear about the horrors, and the rewards of work- ing with civilian victims in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda war zones. “Lynn has a way of bringing the madness of war to life when she talks—but she also convinces you that cach act of mercy, kindness and caring makes ‘all the difference in the world—to the one being helped..., and to the one giving,” said Gary Ockenden, Red Cross Director. Orstad has been active in Dis- aster and Emergency Services for the past 22 years. She spent four months during 1993 in the former Yugoslavia as a relief worker. She returned to Sarajevo in May, 1993 on special assignment to work with women and children who had been victims of rape and torture. During 1994, Orstad worked on the Rwanda Relief | Operation located on the,Rwan- da/Tanzania Berder. Her present position is with the Fraser Region ‘of The Canadian’ Red Cross Soci- ety as the Internationa! Disaster Services Coordinator. Orstad will be the gucst speaker at The Red Cross “Inter- national Night” in Castlegar at the Sandman Inn Nov. 10. The | \ event starts at 6:30. Tickets for the event are available at Pete's T.V. and The Canadian Red Cross office in Castlegar, All proceeds are for Red Cross International Development. Call Lynda Parker at 365-3911 for more information. Sell it in the classifieds! ft TStint VOWS ert Team Uniforms & Jackets FooDS IN STORE BAKERY Specializing in: Home made breads, pastries & pies | _ “RUSSIAN FOOD” includes: | Borech, Pyrahi, Varenniki, Lapeha jy Located Playmor Junction Ph: 359: omments research. used to treat arthritis soon, immune system. 60's An AIDS vaccine might be discovered from research being done have been exposed to AIDS and by rights should My Mhagpaoetenes ‘ have it, but do not. Do they possess some inborn immunity to the disease? ff 80, what form does this phar take? Exciting Restless legs syndrome (RLS), is a condition where your can't otill, especially at night. There has been a suggestion that Mus cote wen reduced ‘stores of iron and might be helped with an iron Supplement. However, your doctor betore taking any iron supplement Certain antibiotics may be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. 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Fresh CHICKEN LEGS Back attached, family pack, 1.74 kg. Selected Varieties KRAFT DINNERS 175 g. to 225g. COFFEE Reg., light, Columbian 150 g. to 200 g. ‘6 FLOUR Grade ‘A’ 355 ml. 10 kg. 8 ices: 54.98 ee Savarin POT PIES Beef, chicken or turkey, 200 g. Med. size 25 Ib. bag ONIONS $ 4? Castlegar * 4445 Minto Rd. © 3656433 an se SS) OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: Mon to Sat: 10am - 6pm./Closed Sun. ent ee COCA COLA 355 ml. tins CARROTS 9 39 25 lb. bag No. 1 grade CABBAGE 6) RUSSET POTATOES ea. 50 Ib. boxes 10 Ib. bag 9795 We now accept Accessible Debit Cards 2717 COLUMBIA AVE., CASTLEGAR 365-5336 — While Quantities Last — Sale dates: Nov. 1 thru Nov. 4