Clinton Minor Sports
Fall programs from the Clinton Minor Sports Association are getting underway, with registration taking place starting at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5 at the 47 Mile Sports Arena.
Minor sports for children aged 3 to 7 will be taking place on Mondays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., and the cost is $20 per child for the six-week program. Archery for those aged 8 and up will take place on Wednesdays (times to be announced), and the cost is $75 per person for the six-week program. Message Melissa Painter on Facebook for more information.
70 Mile pancake breakfast
The 70 Mile Community Club’s monthly pancake breakfasts (first Saturday of the month) start up again on Saturday, Sept. 7 at the 70 Mile Community Hall. The by-donation event is open to everyone, and takes place from 9 to 11 a.m., so come on over and bring your appetite!
Canning class
Learn a tried-and-true method of creating shelf-stable canned and ready-to-eat meat, stock, fruit, veggies, and more at the (Under) Pressure Canning Class, taking place on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Clinton Legion (basement).
Thanks to the generosity of the people at the Neighbourhood Small Grants program, this class is absolutely free. Attendees should be there right on time, as the class is time-sensitive, and late arrivals will miss some crucial information.
For more information, contact Aednik Clay on Facebook.
Clinton Music in the Park
Come rain or come shine, grab your lawn chairs and picnic blankets and head to Reg Conn park in Clinton on Saturday, Sept. 7 for Music in the Park featuring Banjo Bruce Ambler & the Bluegrass Beat and Arlen Park. The free concert is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and is sponsored by the Village of Clinton.
Musical auditions
The Twisted Desert Music Society is holding auditions on Sunday, Sept. 8 to fill the three remaining supporting roles in their production of Fiddler on the Roof, which is scheduled to take place in Ashcroft in spring 2025.
The three roles are all for men, and acting experience is not essential. Auditions will be from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Ashcroft HUB social room (back of building near Merv’s Gym). For more information contact Michelle Reid at dmreid@telus.net.
Savona Harvest Festival and market
The Savona Community Association is holding the third annual Harvest Festival and Craft Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8 at the Savona boat launch and park.
Spots are available for any vendors who would like to participate ($5 per spot; bring your own table). Anyone selling produce, baked goods, and crafts of all kinds is welcome. For more information, or to book, contact Patti Woods at (250) 674-1651 or email savonacommunityassociation@gmail.com.
Cook’s Ferry fire chief meet and greet
All are welcome to attend a meet and greet with the Cook’s Ferry fire chief, and learn about community safety and animal services, at a dinner on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. in the Cook’s Ferry gym, and the event will include free swag for children, door prizes, and tips on FireSmarting your property.
Spences Bridge Community Club
The SBCC will be holding its AGM on Wednesday, Sept. 11 starting at 7 p.m. at Clemes Hall, and the meeting will feature elections, as well as planning for the upcoming year. Yearly membership dues of $5 per person will be due at the AGM.
All residents are encouraged to consider taking on a role with the SBCC executive committee. The commitment is very little, but the rewards are immense. Even if you are not considering joining the executive, come to the meeting and have your say about what you’d like to see.
Community softball tournament
High Bar First Nation and the Clinton RCMP are hosting a community softball tournament on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Elliott Park in Clinton.
Registration will be at 10 a.m., with teams established based on the number of participants, and the first game will be at 11 a.m. Team members must be aged 12 or older, and there will be a concession lunch, T-ball for younger kids, outdoor games, and face painting.
For more information, contact Cassidy Fletcher at (250) 459-2117 or email services@hbfn.ca.
Bingo cancelled
The Royal Purple bingo that was scheduled to take place at the Cache Creek Community Hall on Sept. 15 has been cancelled due to a lack of volunteers.
If you are able to volunteer a few hours here and there, and are interested in helping out at events in the future to help Royal Purple fundraise for the community, call Lil Munro (250-457-6730) or Marvene Layte (250-612-2031).
School’s Out at the HUB
School might be back in session, but the free School’s Out program is returning to the Ashcroft HUB on Monday, Sept. 16. The program, for kids aged 5 to 12 years old, runs from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday inclusive for the entire school year, with sessions featuring crafts, science, physical activities, and more.
Register now by contacting the HUB at ashcrofthub@gmail.com or calling (250) 453-9177.
Garlic festival
Did you miss the Garlic Festival in Lac La Hache at the end of August? Never fear! The Lower Nicola Garlic Fest is coming up on Saturday, Sept. 28 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday, Sept. 29 (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at Smith Pioneer Park (2428 Aberdeen Road, off Highway 8 west of Merritt).
There will be live music and entertainment all day on both days, as well as Estry the Illusionist, the Crazy Creek Farm petting zoo (Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon), the Love to Dance Academy (Saturday at 10 a.m.), vendors galore, a concession hosted by the Lower Nicola Hall Community (bring cash), and of course: garlic!
For more information check out the Lower Nicola Garlic Festival Facebook page.
Oktobearfest
Mark your calendars now for Oktobearfest, coming up on Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Cache Creek Community Hall in support of the BC Wildlife Park in Kamloops.
Doors open for the 19+ event at 6 p.m., and there will be cider samples, more than 20 B.C. beers available, snacks (including Bavarian sausages and pretzels), music, and lots of fun. Tickets are $30 per person and include admission, a souvenir sample glass, and three tokens; purchase your tickets before Sept. 13 and pay only $25 each. For more information, or to order tickets, go to www.visitcachecreek.ca/oktobearfest.
Highway 1 closures
There will be multiple complete closures of Highway 1 at Nicomen, between Spences Bridge and Lytton, between Sept. 23 and 26. The closures are needed in order to complete highway lowering work under the CPKC rail underpass at the site.
There will be three 10-hour closures of the highway in both the eastbound and westbound directions: from 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23 until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24; from 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24 until 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25; and from 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25 until 6 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26.
Access to Nicomen River Road will be restricted to eastbound exiting traffic only. For more information about highway closures, go to www.drivebc.ca.
Clinton Quilters
An article in last week’s Journal stated that the Clinton Quilters meet every Wednesday at the Clinton Library. The group actually meets at the Clinton Seniors’ Centre (217 Smith Avenue) every Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to approximately 1 p.m. The Journal regrets the error.
Free energy-saving kit
If you live in an income-qualified household, you can get a free kit to help you save energy and make your home more comfortable all year round. Each kit includes simple, energy-saving products that you can install yourself, including four LED light bulbs, high-efficiency shower heads, weather-stripping, an LED night light, a fridge and freezer thermometer, and more. With this kit, you can seal up the drafts around your home, save on lighting costs, and reduce your home's water use.
It takes less than five minutes to apply for your free kit, which is available to qualifying homeowners, as well as renters who have a utility account in their own name. For more information, including an income chart to see if you qualify, and to order a kit, go to https://bit.ly/4cKrD8y.
