Mother’s Day tea
All are invited to a Mother’s Day tea and light lunch at the Cook’s Ferry Band gym on Friday, May 9 from noon to 2 p.m. Come and visit with family and friends, and feel free to bring along a dessert to share. Please RSVP to Jolene at recreation@cooksferry.ca or call/text (250) 457-0567.
Spences Bridge Community Club
The SBCC will be holding its next monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 14, 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.
This year the club is celebrating an amazing 160 years, and on Sunday, June 8 will be holding a day of festivities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Clemes Hall. They would love some arts and crafts vendors; tables are $10 each, and anyone interested should call Mavourneen at (250) 457-1505.
Suddenly One
The Suddenly One: Building Connections program has returned, and takes place every other Thursday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Ashcroft Library (private meeting room at the back). The next meeting will be on Thursday, May 15.
Suddenly One is for men and women of all ages who suddenly find themselves alone. The event will feature coffee, tea, and conversation, with people able to share their thoughts, stories, and experiences surrounding loss and living alone. There is no agenda; topics and activities are up to the participants, all in an accessible, respectful, and confidential space.
There is no cost to take part, and participants can attend as many or as few sessions as they would like. For more information, email ashcroft.hospice@gmail.com.
70 Mile AGM
The Seventy Mile Access Centre is holding its AGM on Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Access Centre. The meeting will feature a review of last year’s accomplishments and the financial report, SMAC’s vision for the future, and voting for the new board of directors.
Anyone interested in becoming part of SMAC’s leadership as a director can email smac70mile@gmail.com for more information.
Off-road vehicle fun run
Get ready for the Off-road Vehicle Fun Run at Loon Lake on Saturday, May 17! It starts at 11 a.m., with registration at 10 a.m. for those who didn’t pre-register at https://loonlakecommunity.ca/, and the cost is $25 for each driver, with the fee including fun challenges, a barbecue lunch, a drink, and prize eligibility. Passengers can get all the same perks for just $15 each; for those who want to watch the fun, the cost is $10 per person, which includes barbecue lunch.
It’s a great day of challenges, games, food, and navigational and driving skills, so be part of the action, whether you’re in the fun run or cheering from the sidelines.
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.
Citizen of the Year awards
The Rotary Club of Ashcroft-Cache Creek will be honouring its 2024 Citizens of the Year at an evening social featuring sweet and savoury refreshments on Thursday, May 22, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Ashcroft HUB. All are invited, and tickets for the event are $25 per person; they can be purchased at the HUB, or online at ashcrofhub.square.site.
The honorees for 2024 are Mark Greenberg and Giri Fournier (TNRD Area “I”); Donna Middleton (Cache Creek); Rick Coulsen (Ashcroft); and Austyn Harkness (Youth). Come out and celebrate these extraordinary people, who go above and beyond for our communities, and support Rotary, which funds youth projects throughout the area.
Career and education fair
WorkBC is hosting a Career and Education Fair at the Ashcroft HUB from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, May 23. The free event allows jobseekers of all ages to connect with employers and learn about free employment services, training programs, and other community services; there will also be door prizes.
Would you like to be an exhibitor and connect with potential employees? Call (250) 453-2499 or email centre-ashcroft@workbc.ca for information.
Ballet recital
MK Ballet will be holding its spring recital on Saturday, May 24 at 1 p.m. at the Ashcroft HUB.
Baroque music concert
The Chamber Musicians of Kamloops will be presenting a live concert of baroque music at st. Alban’s Church hall at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 24.
Performers Anika Howell (soprano), Ivan Vutev (counter tenor), Cvetozar Vutev (violin), and Curtis Howell (harpsichord/organ) will take the audience on a musical journey to 18th century Europe via the works of J.S. Bach and some of his family members. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youth aged 12 to 18; children under 12 are free. For tickets, email alice@durksen.ca or call (250) 457-3227; tickets will also be available at the door.
70 Mile hoedown
The 70 Mile Community Club is hosting a Hoedown on Saturday, May 24, so grab your boots and hats and head to the 70 Mile Community Hall (2585 N. Bonaparte Road) for a night of barn-style and line dancing under the instruction of Jess Thomas.
The event runs from 4:30 to 11 p.m. and includes a roast beef dinner. Tickets are $30 in advance ($35 at the door), and there will be a cash bar. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call April at (604) 852-7622 or Kelly at (604) 703-6498.
Walhaschindig
The seventh annual Walhaschindig returns to the Soldiers Memorial Hall in Walhachin on Saturday, June 7 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event is fun for the whole family, with live music, food, a beer garden, 50/50 draws, vendors, and more. Admission is by donation, and you have an opportunity to look at the many fascinating exhibits about the history of Walhachin in the historic hall.
Local musicians and entertainers who would like to take part, as well as any vendors who would like to set up an outdoor table, can email friends@walhachin.net for more information.
Strawberry Tea
The Ashcroft-Cache Creek Seniors will be holding their annual Strawberry Tea on Saturday, June 7 starting at noon at the seniors’ centre (601 Bancroft Street), and all are invited. Admission is $5 per person, and in addition to a delicious strawberry shortcake tea there will be a table stocked with homemade baked goods, a raffle, and more.
Cache Creek drag races
Drag racing returns to the Campbell Hill drag strip near Cache Creek on Saturday and Sunday, June 7–8, with racing each day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry is $10 for adults; children under 13 are free. There will be food available on-site.
Organizers are looking for a local non-profit group to host (and benefit from) a 50/50 draw at the event. Any group that is interested, or would like more information, can email bcdragit@gmail.com.
Art at the library
Throughout the month of May, there is a display of artwork by students at Desert Sands Community School at the Ashcroft Library, so come down to the library and see some of the wonderful art being created by our students. And if you missed this year’s Ashcroft Art Club show and sale, there will be a chance to see some artwork by club members at the library starting in the second week of June. Go to www.tnrl.ca for days and times when the branch is open, and check out some of the other events going on.
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, or visit the Thompson-Nicola Invasive Plant Management Committee Facebook page.
School’s Out at the HUB
Looking for something for kids to do after school from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday? Register them for the free School’s Out program at the Ashcroft HUB, which is for children aged 5 through 12 and features crafts, science, physical activities, and more.
Go to https://wkf.ms/487QNx5 to sign your kid(s) up for at least two days of the program. For more information, contact the HUB at (250) 453-9177 or email office@ashcrofthub.com.
Grief support library
Did you know that the Ashcroft and District Hospice Society has a free library of grief support resources for people of all ages? In addition to pamphlets and books, the society also has contact information for organizations that can provide even more resources and support.
The society’s office, at 509 Railway Avenue in Ashcroft, is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For assistance outside office hours, call (778) 207-7575.
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.
