The Castlegar Sun Wednesday, May 13, 1992 Page 48 CHAMBER NEWS CASTLEGAR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 1995 - 6th Avenue, Castlegar, B.C. VIN 4B7 + (604) 365-6313 + Fax (604) 365-5778 Businesses benefit from Superhost hospitality and service, time and time again. All of our visi- tors deserve quality and consis- tent service, whether they are from across the border in the United States, across the ocean from Germany or Japan, across Canada or from across this great province of ours. Super- host is a step in the right direc- tion. Superhost is a comprehensive interactive program that essen- tially helps people help people. It gives everyone a framework to really improve the quality of service and hospitality we offer to visitors, so we can meet and exceed their expectations as well as our own. Through the Castlegar Chamber of Com- program is offered to all inter- ested businesses and individuals for a very reasonable price. Superhost is a seven hour training program dealing with communication and interper- sonal skills. Such basics as lis- tening, active listening, and handling complaints are cov- ered along with tourism overviews and details on local tourism attractions and facili- ties. Every participant in Super- host receives a certificate and a lapel pin. Every business that participates in Superhost receives a window decal that advertises their commitment to llent service. merce the 1355 Bay Ave., Trail - 368-6666 Big Valley Jamboree July 8-14 Craven, Sask. A full 4 days of entertaining by top name country stars: Alabama; Rita s McNeil; Williams and Ree; Pirates of + the Mississippi; a total of 35 Performers. Grab your lawn chair and let us look after all the rest. CG Celebrate Canada August 29-September 30, 1992 — 33 days “125 Years In The Making” tour. CONTACT 's y by Ng across Canada! Join Canada’ us while we meet our fellow Canadians in this exciting 33 day UR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT "As the summer season is approaching, consider taking the program and more impor- tantly, have your staff take it as well. For more information call the Chamber at 365-6313. Ch haat ONLY $149. .cst Everything Provided At ADDITIONAL COST! Monday, June 22 to June 28 Castlegar Sports Centre 365-8288 Presented to: angrit Sherry, Stan, Shirley, Paulette & Donna Kootenay Society for Community Living This award will be presented every week to someone in Castlegar who shows extraordinary service to his/her customers or clients. The recipients will receive an award plaque to keep courtesy of Kats Trophys and a lunch for 2, value to $20.00, courtesy of the Fireside Dining Room. SS BZ The Cast jar Sun AAS We'd like everyone in Castlegar to know there is an "Excellence in Service" in their community, and to congratulate each of them personally. If you know of someone that offers "Excellence in Service,” call me, Jon Jarrett at 365-5266, or drop a letter at the Castlegar Sun with your suggestion. OF] Manager's report 1 look forward to working for this Chamber and meeting new challenges. I will be visiting all of our members in the next few weeks and asking for iny on the following: eee - issues yOu May want us to pur- sue - Projects you want us to get involved in - just suggestions of any kind regardii what would like to see in future office. I hope to make regular vis- its to all of our members in the future. 2A. This will be held at the arena complex from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those of you that would like to Teserve @ space are requested to do so as soon as possible, space is limited. Cost is $15 per table. This is the perfect for busi- nesses that would like to sell those GiSCOMEEMUCH prem businesses are required. Cost will be $20 per business. Please let the Chamber office know if you would like to attend. If we achieve our minimum of 20 businesses, you will be contacted with a con- firmed date and time. With summer coming up and the tourists visiting our beautiful area, now is the time to take part in a Superhost course. We will also train in Encore (Superhost Part 2) and now we have Super- host Japan. If you are interested, please contact the Chamber office and we will arrange _ training Pp ly for your busi Chamber members will receive a discount. Our travel I fe will be RENEE READ to sh are knowl. Staffed by two ‘Teturning travel counsellors - Nora Johnson. They will begin part time for the month of May and full time for June, July and August. We look forward to hav- ing them return. Drop by and see them and look through our wide variety of brochures if you are a ; The Castlegar & District Chamber of Commerce and with edge and contacts. We have cur- rent business publication, handbooks and planning guides, - Jon oni seartl . starting, ‘ or modemizing a business, as well: as information on business: and regulations. We as Chamber members need to create an environment where people really believe that they will come out better by helping and ng with others. As our items. Individu- participate you have handi- | crafts, wood- } crafts, plants, bake sale or any- thing you may want to sell. Those of you that do not have the time to man a table, you may donate your items to the Chamber and we will sell them at our : table. All pro- | June 20 ceeds will go to |School/ June 26-28 would like to Seantey Baouries ‘Secondary Selkirk college Graduations Castlegar Sunfest Celebration membership stronger. | chamber becomes a voice that repre- sents the majority of the businesses within the Castle- gar and District area. Chamber members support Chamber mem- bers. An updated Chamber list is available at the Chamber office. NOTE: MEM- BERS: Did you know about our Chamber insur- ance available only to Chamber members. We offer plans that p a shoplifting/internal theft seminar. Letters have been sgnt out-and so far we have received a few ; In order to p with this seminar, we need your participation. A minimum of 20 = Strong of British Columbia operates the Business, Information Centre. The BIC can provide your_business with a direct électronic link via computer to various Ministry office and Chambers across the have various bene- fits available to meet the needs of your employees. Contact the Chamber office for more_informa tion. These insurance plans aré specially designed for small busi- NESSES. Continued from 3A I discovered the card was over- size. But what about all the other dutiful daughters and sons and grandchildren who chose the same size or larger card than I did, put a regular $0.42 plus $0.03 GST stamp on it, mailed it and didn’t even consider the fact that it wasn't enough postage? How would they have known? Mother's Day only comes once a 1 Will these poor dutiful chil- dren and i be receiv- ing their Mother’s Day card back in the mail for insufficient postage? Will Canada Post send it on and charge the extra to dear old mom? I am not quibbling about the oversize card rates nor the prices at Canada Post. If I had to pay $13.00 and mail my card Priority Post to get it there on time I would. ‘What I am quibbling about is that the envelope companies and greet- ing card companies know the mailing sizes for envelopes to meet the regular Canada Post letter Price, much better than consumers do. Yet they lead us, unknowingly, into a bigger and more expensive card without telling us the postage will be more. If they know that oversize envelopes cost more postage why aren't they required to print words to the effect that “this envelope requires extra postage.” on the envelope? At least then we would know to stick another stamp on it or take it to the post office to find out what it will Nn « Lynn Lightfoot Dancers - Schedule for May 13, 14 & 15 Wed. 6:30 pm, Thurs. 9:00 am + West Kootenay Today - highlights of this week's programs. Wed. 7:00 pm, Thurs. 9:30 am Dance Studios performed for friends and relatives in their Spring Concert. Wed. 8:30 pm, Thurs. 11:00 am + Law Enforcement Torch Run - Dave Glover talks to Const. Andrew Rook of the Trail Detachment of the RCMP and local co-orcinator of the B.C.S.O. Maurice Gilbert about upcoming fundraising. Wed. 9:00 pm, Thurs. 11:30 am + B.C. Midget Boys Volleyball Championships - coverage of the smi-final and final matches held in White Rock. Thurs. 6:00 pm, Fri., 9:00 am * Trail City Council - gavel to gavel coverage. Mon. - Thurs. 2:00 pm + B.C. Legisiature- live coverage from Victoria of the question and answer period. today 5 * 6:00 pm - B.C. Mining, The Way It Is - part 5 of 5. from the Lightfoot cost. I don’t mind paying the extra if I know I have to pay it! At Christmas time, the enve- lope companies print special envelopes, that are properly coded, so that we can save our- selves $0.05 each in postage, Why can’t they make these dis- count card envelopes available for all the other special card occasions in a year and work out a deal with Canada Post to reward those who properly code their cards? Well, I think I finally figured it all out. It is a conspiracy alright. But it’s not a conspiracy among the greeting card companies, the envelope manufacturers and Canada Post. No, it is something even more onerous. The only one who wins in a war of greeting cards, envelopes and postage is the telephone com- pany. They don’t want us to waste our valuable time in front of a card rack reading dozens of cards; and they don’t want us to buy stamps (and more stamps for oversize cards); nor do they want us to rely on Canada Post to deliver the card on time. No, they want us to do the easy thing. They want us to pick up the phone and say, in our own words, with our own voices, “I love you mom,” rather than have mom read someone else’s words over our signature. Well, I bought the card with the oversized envelope, put the extra stamp on it and sent it away, more than a week in advance of Mother's Day, so she would be sure to get it in time. Then last Sunday I fooled them all. I phoned to wish her a happy Mother's Day and to see if she received her Mother's Day card. PS. I still believe that oversize evelopes should have a warning that they require extra postage and that the special coded envelopes should be available all year long. After all Father's Day is coming in just five weeks, and then it’s grad, birthdays, Grand- parents day, In-laws day, Hal- loween, Thanksgiving... Wednesday, May 13, 1992 The Castlegar Sun Page 68 Crime, grime, chicken, tuna and politics ! I used to be married to a dis- turbed man. He spent most of his life in bed recovering from night- mares and bad Some- I found disclaimers on my toothpaste, on my previous mar- riage licence, and in the Canadian times he’d spend hours staring at the test pattern, until they changed it and he freaked out. After numerous phone calls to the station, the TV folks finally put a Since I have become more observant, I’ve noticed dis- claimers on a lot of things I wouldn't expect, like on cans of Starkissoff Tuna, for instance, which says, “This is good enough tuna; 10,000 cats can’t be If you become sick and die, it's not our fault.” Cc ‘These are irregulari- ties that even prune juice won't fix. In Ottawa, honourable members have learned to walk erect to keep a chip on their shoulders, and to defend selves, seems to make no difference in the House of Commoners, because geriatric members are often the most skill- ful orators. This surprised the younger folks, if they can under- stand what's being said. These octanarigians speak for hours. Barker’s Scratches ~’ Selections we Lynn Barker Sometimes they doze off at the least provocation, often in the middle of their own speech. Privacy should be respected when Dear Ann Landers: I was I respected and trusted each other. She died of cancer a few years ago and I have since My new wife, “June,” have one area of disagreement that is causing me a great deal of trou- ble. I am a very private person. For me to express my hopes, fears and love, I must feel confident that my privacy will be respected. T have learned that h words and bedroom behavior because I'm afraid others will hear about it. How can love grow when there is no trust? I'm truly conflict- ed and hope you will advise me. — Faithful Reader in Hicksville, Vt. Dear Vermont: Your wife needs to hear from an uninvolved third party that her loose lip is destroy- ing the marriage. A few joint ses- sions with a counselor could prove we have a d June helpful. I ngly rec- it. calls her sisters and her friends and discusses it with them in detail. I have spoken to her several times about this, but she feels there is nothing wrong with it. She says she has a special bond with her sisters and girlfriends, and they share their most intimate secrets with her also. I have always believed what is said between husband and wife should remain between the two of them. When I told June I was upset by her lack of discretion, she promised not to talk about our pri- vate affairs to outsiders. I know she is still doing it, and her friends have been told not to let on. I find myself censoring my flu, and we didn’t seem to be get- ting better. We were constantly sleepy, experiencing severe s and nausea. I thought it was a hard-to-shake virus, but when I saw that our dog was drowsy and sluggish, I had an uneasy feeling and opened the windows for some fresh air. I then phoned the gas company and explained what was happen- Ing. They had a Serviceman out within 20 minutes. To my aston- I was told the Ann Landers ‘the most widely read syndicated columnist’ A furnace was throwing off carbon monoxide. The danger level is 35. Ours was registering 55. Of course we had the furnace repaired immediately. If I had not called the gas company, the results could have been tragic. The repairman Dear Ann Landers: I feel lucky to be alive and able to write you. Please warn your readers about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. My sons and I had been suffer- ing from what we thought was the explained that carbon monoxide has no odor, color or taste. One morning we simply wouldn't have awakened. I was told to get my furnace checked yearly when it was installed but I was trying to save monéy. It wouki Have cost about Local woman deleting desktop design dilemmas SUBMITTED White space. A designers nightmare. The thought of staring at a blank piece of paper or a blank computer screen trying to come up with a creative design or story can be a nightmare for many young writers and designers. For Castlegar resident Debbie Ursulak, the first time she stared at a blank Macintosh computer screen and was asked to create a design, it was a soul wrenching experience. Now though, it’s more like a fun job. Ursulak, who works as the computer assistant for Strong & Associates Advertising, Market- ing and Promotions of Castlegar, recently returned from a work- shop and seminar in Vancouver on Effective Desktop Design. This Lou Williams Seminar was one of only four courses offered in Canada this spring. L.C. Williams & Associates are a well known U.S. management consulting company based in Chicago, Ilinois, and their design seminars are some of the best available on the market. Attending this course in Van- couver reinforced some of what Ursulak had already learned from business owner Marilyn Strong. “Using the computer to create = Grenby different designs is easy once you understand the concepts,” said Strong. “This seminar provided Debbie with the opportunity to learn new concepts and reinforce some of the concepts she had already learned. It also gave her the chance to meet people from around the province and share ideas.” “I really enjoyed the course, said Ursulak. “It had valuable information to offer. I-am really interested in design and using the computer and I wanted to learn more. This course really helped. “ As a new member of the computer design fraternity, Ursulak acknowledges she still has a lot to learn. “I’m really looking forward to working with our clients and making their ads, flyers, brochures and print material stand out from the rest. I learned a lot and I’ve still got a lot more to learn. Hopeful- ly each time I create something new it will stand out from all the others.” For strong & Associates owner Marilyn S' trong, hav: ing an place. Once that part of the business and marketing plan is in place, we are often asked to assist with the creative ideas for the print, public relations and promotions campaign. That's where I expect that Debbie will be able to help.” “Having Debbie on board is a bonus because she’s young, has new ideas and is willing to experiment with different com- binations. In a field such as advertising and promotions where everyone is trying to get their out in the most imagina- tive way, it’s important to be able to make your print material stand out from the others,” she said. Strong & Associates is an advertising and marketing con- sulting company which, since 1984, has been providing cre- ative design, promotions exper- tise and marketing plans and ideas to a wide range of indus- try, retail and not for profit orga- i in the West Ki area. Their most recent design work included the Cominco ployee who is din computer design and wants to learn more is a bonus. “A large part of our work is assisting clients create a niche for themselves in the market- Report and, along with Bob Inwood, recently com- pleted the Silvery Slocan Her- itage Tourism Business Plan for the West Kootenay Touring Society. Continued from 3A 1984 to 1990. In 1990, he was offered a termination allowance of $30,000. The company makes pension contributions only for full-time employees. Mr. A wants to transfer $24,500 of his severance pay to his RRSP as follows: (a) $20,000 based on $2,000 a year for each of the 10 named years between 1980 and 1982, and between 1984 and 1990, plus (b) $4,500 based on $1,500 a year for year of the three named years between 1980 and 1982 when no pension contributions were made this approach but wanted: “Income tax rulings are pub- lished for the general informa- tion of taxpayers but are considered to be binding on the department only in respect of the taxpayer to when the ruling was given. “The ruling are based on the particular facts of each ruling and on the law in forced at the time the ruling is published. Therefore, they will not be ded for bseq changes in law.” If you have your own incorpo- rated business and are retiring, in most cased you may also pay retiring allowance to yourself and any other family members who have worked for the compa- ny, based on the rules mentioned above. This is an excellent way to transfer retained earning tax- free to an RRSP where future investment growth will tax-shel- tered and you can plan with- drawals to minimize tax. Mike Grenby is a Vancouver- based columnist and independent financial adviser who works with individuals; he will answer your questions as space allows - write to him c/o Castlegar Sun 465, Columbia Avenue, Castlegar, BC VIN 1G8. Cryssats > Rocks + Jewellery POLLAINE E. EMDE IA AVE. BC. VIN 3K3 (604) 365-7616 Res 365-3253 On his 103 birthday, I spoke to the Honourable Dickey Birdwis- er. As Canada’s largest poultry Producer, he sat on the Chicken wwe Marketing Board where © he scratched and cack- led but showed no visi- & ble results. 3: I told Mr. Bird- wiser that he didn't look fF a day over 99. He was visibly flattered, pecked me on the cheek and ruffled his suit. I asked about the alleged pay- offs he received over the years. He said the any- one who lives to be his age, deserves to collect all the payoffs they can. I asked him why he kept so many chickens, even though the it comes to $30. How stupid of me. We all could have died. — Grateful to Be Alive in Burlington, Wis. Dear Burl: Every now and then a reader will help save lives by sending me a few simple facts to print in the column. This is anoth- er one of those letters - - and I thank you. According to Peoples Gas Co. in Chicago, the combustion of any fossil fuel (oil, kerosene, coal, nat- ural gas) has the potential for pro- ducing carbon monoxide if the equipment is not properly ventilat- ed. This includes your automobile, lawnmower, snowblower and indoor barbecue grill. Warning signs include headaches, dizzi- ness, weakness, nausea and vomit- ing, Have your furnace and boilers checked yearly by a professional and change your filters before the heating season begins, or call the gas company for an inspection. Dear Ann Landers: I know pedple write to you with all kinds of questions, so I wasn’t surprised when that man from Tallahassee asked you to help him get an agent for his dog act. I remember he has some apricot poodles named Gin- gerGigi and Pepper, and they play the piano. He said they“are the only piano-playing dogs in the world, which I can believe. You told him that booking ani- Price of eggs is so low. “Well,” he said thoughtfully, “First of all, I've discovered that shredded documents make won- derful free bedding.” He spread his arms out toward the ten thou- sand chickens in his chicken house, “See these babies? They are my pride and joy. One day, they'll replace heat lamps at Mac- Donalds restaurants as a cheap source of energy to keep the burgers warm”. Mr. Birdwiser also said he has been involved in government study, and that when he dies he wants all his eggs to go with him. “I'm looking forward to death,” he said. “Why?” I asked. “I believe in life after death. I want to come back as a rooster, so I can wake up the MPs in the House of Commons. Yup, and if they don't follow all my recom- mendations, I'll bring my chicken harem in here and we'll cackle like crazy. Yup. I won't mess with Dickey P.J> Birdwiser next time I'm on this earth. Those con- founded members of the opposi- tion won't believe what they stepped into ... * I looked at my shoe and couldn't believe it, either. I asked Mr. Birdwiser if he'd ever tried to ! market chicken doo but he said there's no money in it. I guess grime doesn't pay. This is a disclaimer. If you don't understand this column and you can’t explain it to me, it’s not my fault. hopes, fears and love mal acts was not your line of work and suggested that maybe Johnny Carson, David Letterman or Arse- nio Hall might give him a break. Within a few days, those very same poodles appeared on a TV show (not the shows you men- tioned) and performed very well. 1°11 bet they get some bookings. Since you helped that Buy. maybe you can do something for me. I have a couple of wire-haired terriers that sing. I play tunes on the fiddle like “Sioux City Sue” and “How Come You Do Me Like You Do Do Do,” and the dogs har- monize like The Supremes. Everybody deserves one big break in life and this could be mine. How about it, Annie old girl? — Longtime Admirer in Arlington Heights Dear Admirer: Since that col- umn d, “Annie Old Girl” has heard from a woman in Silver Rattle Antiques 301-11 Ave. Castlegar. (in. Tulips Building) 365-5191 Phoenix who has a horse that does multiplication tables, a man in Fort Worth whose three cats do ballet numbers, and a woman in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with a par- rot that can swear in five lan- guages. Please, folks, no more letters about your talented pets. I am sure they are all wonderful, but I can’t help you. For Meadowbrook Drive. To start May 20! If interested contact Denise at 365-7848. WHY NOT INVITE All ‘iis for Baile $4.99 * 15 word Classified Ad (extra words at .30¢ word) ° 2 free Garage Sale signs ¢ MAKE OUT THOSE INVITATIONS WITH JUST ONE CALL Deadline for getting your garage sale listed is Monday at 11:00 am wl The Castid gar Sun is 365-5266 465 Columbia Ave., Castlegar, B.C. VIN 1G8 ‘Watch for our weekly Garage Sale feature in the Classifieds’ * Based on a circulation in excess of 6,000 and CanStats 2.9 people per household.