70 Mile pancake breakfast
The 70 Mile Community Club’s pancake breakfast takes place on the first Saturday of the month, and the next one is on April 5 at the 70 Mile Community Hall. The by-donation event, which runs from 9 to 11 a.m., features door prizes and is open to everyone, so come on over and bring your appetite. For more information, contact Ken Huber at (250) 945-9914.
My Tween and Me
The South Cariboo Elizabeth Fry Society, in partnership with the BC Council for Families, is offering a free program called My Tween and Me!, designed to help parents and kids navigate the tween years. The program will look at creating positive family and peer relationships, effective communication, positive discipline, navigating school life, and healthy development.
There is no cost to take part, and snacks will be provided. The four sessions take place on Tuesdays, with the first one on April 8 and the final one on April 29, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Cache Creek Elementary School. For more information, or to register, email melissa@scefry.ca or call (250) 453-9656.
Spring Into Art
The Thompson Nicola Shuswap chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists is presenting its 21st annual juried regional art show, “Spring Into Art,” taking place at the Old Courthouse Gallery at 7 Seymour Street W. in Kamloops from April 8–19 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday).
The event showcases the finest artists from Kamloops, the Shuswap, and the Okanagan, working in a variety of genres and media. Attendees can vote for three “People’s Choice” awards, and there will be live demonstrations where you can witness artists in action and ask questions. For more information (including an online gallery and sales info) go to www.tnsc.ca.
Spences Bridge Community Club
The SBCC will be holding its next monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 9, starting at 7 p.m. at Clemes Hall. All residents are encouraged to come to the meeting and learn about the many exciting events and opportunities for volunteering that are coming up in the Bridge.
Ashcroft yard waste pick-up
The Village of Ashcroft will be holding a free yard waste pick-up to help residents with their spring cleaning. The pick-up will take place on April 9 and 10, and anyone interested must call the village office at (250) 453-9161 by Monday, April 7 in order to have their property added to the list.
To see what is accepted, visit the Village of Ashcroft Facebook page or contact the village office.
Spring fling
The Equality Project in Cache Creek is holding a Spring Fling from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, and all are invited. Festivities will be held at the clubhouse (1260 Stage Road), and will include a light lunch, silent auction, door prizes, and a bake sale, as well as good company. Admission is $2 per person, and members and non-members are invited to come down and welcome in the spring season.
Restricted firearms course
Ken Brown is holding a restricted firearms course at the Ashcroft HUB on Saturday, April 12. Anyone who has already taken the non-restricted PAL course, or has their non-restricted licence, and who is interested in the follow-up course can contact Brown (evenings are best) at (250) 453-9415. Please note that this is not a cellphone number, so do not send a text to it, as it won’t be received.
Flea market
Bonaparte First Nation is holding a flea market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 13 at the Bonaparte quonset building. The market is open to all vendors, and the cost is $10 per space, with the money going to the Bonaparte Youth Department to assist them with their trip to Vancouver. To book a spot, email Shaunna Pierro at mzgrizz686@gmail.com.
Ashcroft-Cache Creek seniors
The Ashcroft-Cache Creek Seniors will be holding their monthly meeting at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 17 at the seniors’ centre (601 Bancroft Street, Ashcroft). They will be discussing plans for their annual spring tea and bazaar, and all are welcome to attend, provide input, and stay for some fun.
Spences Bridge community sale
There will be two community-wide garage sales coming up in Spences Bridge, on Thursday, April 17 and on Saturday and Sunday, May 17–18 (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day). Take a drive to the Bridge, enjoy the spring weather, and check out some new-to-you treasures.
Hidden gem
Speaking of heading out for a drive, did you know that there is a thrift store and museum in North Bend? Located in the former school on Chaumox Road, and now the Joan Blakeborough Museum and Community Centre, the store and museum are open every Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. Drop in to see what’s in store, and explore the fascinating history of North Bend while you’re there.
Bingo cancelled
Due to the Easter long weekend and a lack of volunteers, the Ashcroft-Cache Creek Royal Purple bingo scheduled for Sunday, April 20 has been cancelled.
Ashcroft art show
Save the date! The Ashcroft Art Club’s annual art show and sale — a fixture in Ashcroft for nearly 60 years — returns to St. Alban’s Church Hall from Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27. There will be an opening night reception (adults only) from 6 to 9 p.m. on April 25, and the show will be open to all from noon to 5 p.m. on April 26 and 27. Come down and view the amazing art, and get ready to vote for your favourite for the People’s Choice Award.
Cache Creek market
The Cache Creek Market will be returning for its 15th season on Saturday, May 3. Located next to the Cache Creek Library, the market will be open every Saturday until October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and feature plants, produce, food items, handcrafted items, textiles, gently-used treasures, and more.
The cost for vendors is $5 per site, with funds raised going to the Cache Creek Beautification Society. Vendors do not need a business licence or insurance, but anyone selling homemade food should have a FoodSafe certificate. Local non-profits are allowed one free site per month. For more information, visit the Cache Creek Market Facebook page.
Clinton market
The Clinton Outdoor Market starts up for the season on Sunday, May 4, and will be taking place outside Hunnie’s Mercantile every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call or text (250) 457-1020.
Deadmans Creek rodeo
The annual Deadmans Creek Rodeo is coming up at the rodeo grounds on Highway 1 west of Savona on May 3 and 4, with rodeo action starting at 1 p.m. each day. The family-friendly event is fun for everyone, and all are welcome. Please note that it is cash only on site.
Lytton show and shine
Can’t wait for Graffiti Days in Cache Creek in September? Whet your appetite for classic cars during Canyon Cruise 2025 and the Lytton Show and Shine, taking place at the Pines Motel on Highway 1 at Lytton on Sunday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will include a barbecue, music, swag bags, and raffle prizes, and there is no registration fee.
For more information, contact Jan at (778) 254-0135, email canyoncruisebc@gmail.com, or visit the website at canyoncruise.ca.
Calling all gardeners
Looking to get information about invasive plant management in our region, including identification tips to help you spot invasives, alerts about emerging invasive plant threats, strategies to protect native ecosystems, expert insights, and news about local events and training opportunities, and more?
Then sign up for the Thompson-Nicola Invasive Plant Management Committee’s free e-newsletter “Taking Root,” and join a growing community of local conservationists. To receive “Taking Root,” go to https://bit.ly/3FBBGSI, where you can also find more information about invasive plants in the Thompson-Nicola region.
Shiny but dangerous
They’re tiny and shiny, and dangerous for young children. Button batteries (also called disc or coin batteries) are used to power watches, cameras, hearing aids, computer games, alarm clocks, bathroom scales, key chains, and more. Because they are small, round, and smooth, kids can mistake button batteries for food or candy, and swallowing one can lead to serious injury and even death.
Children under the age of six are at the highest risk of ingesting a button battery. From 2021 to 2023, the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre managed 159 cases of button battery exposures, with more than half of them (55 per cent) involving babies and children aged five and under.
If you suspect your child has ingested a button battery, or has inserted one into their ear or nose, call 9-1-1 or the BC Drug and Poison Centre (604-682-5050), or go immediately to an emergency department or medical centre. If the child is more than one year old, give them honey to swallow, which will coat the battery while help is on the way, but do not try to induce vomiting. Keep button batteries safely stored, make sure that products which use them have screws securing the battery panel, and put tape around used batteries and store them in a container with a screw-top lid until they can be safely disposed of.
