Anxious nighttime search something to remember

It was a wet, slushy night and our band gig down at the Lynn Valley Village Christmas Tree Walk had been cancelled. I was looking forward to a night in front of the fire, but life, of course, had other plans and at 4:30 p.m. I was instead trudging exasperatedly down the dark street to help my son look for his lost wallet.

When I caught up to him, though, he wasn’t looking for the Canucks wallet that had fallen out of his pocket on the way home from school. “I’m helping this kid find his sister,” he explained, gesturing to the solemn-looking boy beside him.

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Good Neighbour Award nominee: Travis Spencer!

We are collecting nominations for Lynn Valley’s Good Neighbour Award until Dec. 19, 2012. We’d love to hear, and share, stories about good-hearted folks who have gone out of their way to help you or their community, in ways large or small.  Nominees don’t have to be your ‘next-door’ neighbour, just a fellow citizen of the Valley.

This contest isn’t about deciding who’s ‘best’ – it’s about celebrating all those kindnesses that we know happen in our neighbourhood every day of the year. The winner of this year’s Good Neighbour prize package will be drawn at random, and announced on Dec. 23. Please send your submissions to [email protected].

ADRIENNE COUSINS NOMINATES TRAVIS SPENCER:

“So, my friend is the best neighbor and boyfriend I’ve known … I’ll tell you why he’s the best neighbor I’ve known..  I suffer from anxiety and SAD (seasonal affective disorder). So  since the winter months began,  and last year as well, he made it a point of  his to invite me up to Lynn Valley square for a tea or a latte at Delany’s to take in the beautiful Christmas trees, shops,  and people… and lift my spirits, even while tackling his busy school and youth volunteer schedule.

He is a child at heart with an old soul if that were possible.  A perfect combination. Thanks for considering him for the award.”

 

Good Neighbour Award nominee: Paige Larson

We are collecting nominations for Lynn Valley’s Good Neighbour Award until Dec. 19, 2012. We’d love to hear, and share, stories about good-hearted folks who have gone out of their way to help you or their community, in ways large or small.  Nominees don’t have to be your ‘next-door’ neighbour, just a fellow citizen of the Valley.

This contest isn’t about deciding who’s ‘best’ – it’s about celebrating all those kindnesses that we know happen in our neighbourhood every day of the year. The winner of this year’s Good Neighbour prize package will be drawn at random, and announced on Dec. 23. Please send your submissions to [email protected].

SOHAIL KAMAL NOMINATES PAIGE LARSON:

“Here is my nomination for Paige Larson, who just won a Western Canada Women Entrepreneur Award, but missed by a whisker to winning the National Award for the HKMB HUB Impact Award.  The award goes to the woman entrepreneur who has had a significant positive impact on the community (Lynn Valley and the North Shore) and there were 3,500 women nominated for the six awards. I think she would be a glowing recipient of this award for Lynn Valley!”

Paige, who lives near Ross Road School, is the owner of North Shore Sports Medicine and received the award for contributing to her community prosperity and job creation. She owns three clinics with 20 beds, and employs 13 health care providers. She received her award at a Toronto gala on Nov. 28th.

Thanks for letting us know about this impressive neighbour, Sohail. Good luck to you both in the draw!

Good Neighbour Award nominees: Rosemary Postlethwaite and Darla at Waves!

We are collecting nominations for Lynn Valley’s Good Neighbour Award until Dec. 19, 2012. We’d love to hear, and share, stories about good-hearted folks who have gone out of their way to help you or their community, in ways large or small.  Nominees don’t have to be your ‘next-door’ neighbour, just a fellow citizen of the Valley.

This contest isn’t about deciding who’s ‘best’ – it’s about celebrating all those kindnesses that we know happen in our neighbourhood every day of the year. The winner of this year’s Good Neighbour prize package will be drawn at random, and announced on Dec. 23. Please send your submissions to [email protected].

KELLY JENNER NOMINATES ROSEMARY POSTLEWAITE
AND DARLA AT WAVES:

“We have some amazing folks in this community and I would like to nominate two people who have made a difference to how we are able to serve the neighbourhood….

The first person I would like to nominate is Darla at Waves Lynn Valley.  I know she donates to many groups/ organizations, but her generosity with Lynn Valley United Church is awe inspiring.  She has provided coffee for every Friday Night Live performance since its inception a year and a half ago.  She also contributes coffee to the congregation for Sunday fellowship once a month.

Plus, she donates coffee for special musical and social events, from the monthly drumming circle to the recent “Sounds Like Christmas” community concert.  All given with a smile and the request to just ask if more is needed.  I am not sure how a business can succeed with that kind of generous spirit, but Darla is doing her best to make it work that way.

The second nomination is for Rosemary Postlethwaite.  This shy and unassuming elder in the LVUC community has spent the past 10 years collecting bottles from neighbours for her “sandwich filling fund.”  This fund is used to buy meat, bags, condiments and other supplies for the 500 sandwiches that this congregation makes every month.

The sandwiches are shared out to the homeless through a network of social workers with the North Shore branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, ensuring the people in this community are nourished by this community.

Rosemary has had some major health scares this year, and after spending 54 years in a little house on Westover has moved into “Branches”- but has insisted that she be allowed to continue supplying fillings and such for the sandwiches for as long as she is able.   Rosemary bears a strong pioneer spirit in the most quiet and gentle person you’ll ever meet.  And she is the foundation of a project that feeds hundreds every month.  Simply put, she is amazing.

That’s it from me right now, I could go on about lots of the folks I know who make a difference… the truth is that Lynn Valley is an amazing community because there are so many amazing people.  (Jim and Peggy- you are in there, too!)

Thanks for giving me this opportunity to do this “shout out”

Kelly
Kelly Jenner- Office Manager
Lynn Valley United Church

Thanks, Kelly, you’re an amazing mover-and-shaker yourself! Thanks for adding so much to our community.

Lynn Valley crafter does wonders with wool

Our LynnValleyLife editor discovered Holly Choi’s felted creatures through the international website, etsy.com, and was happy to find their creator lived right here in Lynn Valley. She was even more delighted that Holly was able to make her a customized felt ornament that very evening! Here’s a bit more about one of our local craftspeople:

How long have you lived in Lynn Valley?

Since August 2012, but I’ve always been a North Shore girl. I grew up in Canyon Heights and recently moved back to North Vancouver after living in Richmond with my husband Chris for the past two years. We’ve fallen head over heels for Lynn Valley and never want to leave!

How would describe the type of art you create?

Needle felting. Needle felting doesn’t require anything but a needle and wool. I like the art because of its simplicity and its lack of waste – every single fiber can be used so you’re not creating a ton of scrap when you felt.

What’s your ‘artistic journey’ been to date?

I’ve always been a DIY kind of girl. I recently got married – in September 2012 – and my invitations, décor and favors were all handmade. A friend of mine actually got me a few needle-felted figures when she went to visit her family in Oregon and I thought to myself, I could probably do this! So I decided to give it a try, and so far so good!

What do you do with your finished pieces?

Many of them go to friends and family, and the rest I put up on Etsy – an e-commerce website with a huge community of artists.

I recently made a creation for the DAVIDsTEA shop I frequent in Edgemont Village – they loved it so much they sent it along to HQ and had it published in the corporate newsletter!

Can you tell us a bit about your ‘day job’?

I actually work for a medical software company as a software trainer. When I come home from work I love to break out the wool and create something.

How can people see or learn more about your work?

I post all my work online at www.etsy.com/shop/raincityfelt and I’ve also started a Facebook page, where I post photos of my work along with discounts! www.facebook.com/raincityfelt . I can be contacted through either page.

Good Neighbour Award nominee: Jim Wright!

We are collecting nominations for Lynn Valley’s Good Neighbour Award until Dec. 19, 2012. We’d love to hear, and share, stories about good-hearted folks who have gone out of their way to help you or their community, in ways large or small.  Nominees don’t have to be your ‘next-door’ neighbour, just a fellow citizen of the Valley.

This contest isn’t about deciding who’s ‘best’ – it’s about celebrating all those kindnesses that we know happen in our neighbourhood every day of the year. The winner of this year’s Good Neighbour prize package will be drawn at random, and announced on Dec. 23. Please send your submissions to [email protected].

CHRIS TRENDELL NOMINATES JIM WRIGHT:

He was one of the very early settlers in Lynn Valley; one of World War II’s returning vets. It was a time when there was no shopping mall, just a few scattered shops and a goose farm not far from where he still lives on Coleman Street.

Although he asked for little help from those around him, he gave abundantly to anyone who came to his door. (And, after we built our own home across the street in 1965, we knocked on that door often! He was always there to lend a hand, or invite us in to watch the football game, election returns, or moon landing with him on the TV by the fireplace.)

James, Jimmy, Chick or Mr. Wrightman as he was called, depending on your relationship with him, is gifted with the ability to “fix it.” His workshop was a mystery to all who entered. The tools were cleaned, polished and in place. Although the tools looked new, they had by and large been passed on to him by his father who had brought them from England.  

During the winter, he would be seen and heard on his small Sears ride-on tractor, clearing the sidewalks of snow in front of Upper Lynn School and for many blocks around.

You don’t see Mr. Wright around much at public events or large gatherings, but I think he is well-known by many people for his repeated acts of kindness over his many decades in Lynn Valley.”

Good Neighbour Award nominee: Gillian Konst!

We are collecting nominations for Lynn Valley’s Good Neighbour Award until Dec. 19, 2012. We’d love to hear, and share, stories about good-hearted folks who have gone out of their way to help you or their community, in ways large or small.  Nominees don’t have to be your ‘next-door’ neighbour, just a fellow citizen of the Valley.

This contest isn’t about deciding who’s ‘best’ – it’s about celebrating all those kindnesses that we know happen in our neighbourhood every day of the year. The winner of this year’s Good Neighbour prize package will be drawn at random, and announced on Dec. 23. Please send your submissions to [email protected].

ANDREA WINTERBOTTOM NOMINATES GILLIAN KONST:

“Thank you for organizing the first Good Neighbour Award. I would like to nominate my neighbour, Gillian Konst.

On many occasions, Gillian has been a lender of cups of sugar, onions and over-the-fence cuttings of her favourite plants/flowers from her garden. She has invited me inside her home on the spot for a cup of tea or glass of wine, but it’s the greater good that she demonstrates in the community that makes her a Good Neighbour: no matter what committee chair she sits on, her enthusiasm, determination and helping hand is always appreciated.

Gillian recently helped me to establish a Laughter Yoga group at Mollie Nye House and accommodated my newly formed “Write Away” writing group at Mollie Nye House as a great outreach to the Lynn Valley writing community. Gillian and I go way back when we were both parents active at the Eastview Elementary School council spearheading various committees. I would be happy to tell you more about  Gillian’s selfless, supportive, neighbourly ways!”

Gillian Konst and Eric Muira represented the Lynn Valley Community Association at last year’s Canada Day festivities in LV Village:

 

Good Neighbour Award nominee: Wayne Gooch!

We are collecting nominations for Lynn Valley’s Good Neighbour Award until Dec. 19, 2012. We’d love to hear, and share, stories about good-hearted folks who have gone out of their way to help you or their community, in ways large or small.  Nominees don’t have to be your ‘next-door’ neighbour, just a fellow citizen of the Valley.

This contest isn’t about deciding who’s ‘best’ – it’s about celebrating all those kindnesses that we know happen in our neighbourhood every day of the year. The winner of this year’s Good Neighbour prize package will be drawn at random, and announced on Dec. 23. Please send your submissions to [email protected].

CHRISTINE GOOCH NOMINATES HUSBAND WAYNE:

“I would like to nominate my husband, Wayne Gooch. 

Wayne is outside more than he is inside.  He continually helps our neighbours, whether it’s to put up some siding on their home, de-thach their lawns, give them a Christmas tree or to simply lend an ear. 

Wayne has a heart of gold and funnily enough…he doesn’t realize it.  It just comes naturally to him. 

He is such a humble man and I am so very proud to call him my husband.”

Good Neighbour Award nominee: Stephanie Brawn!

We are collecting nominations for Lynn Valley’s Good Neighbour Award until Dec. 19, 2012. We’d love to hear, and share, stories about good-hearted folks who have gone out of their way to help you or their community, in ways large or small.  Nominees don’t have to be your ‘next-door’ neighbour, just a fellow citizen of the Valley.

This contest isn’t about deciding who’s ‘best’ – it’s about celebrating all those kindnesses that we know happen in our neighbourhood every day of the year. The winner of this year’s Good Neighbour prize package will be drawn at random, and announced on Dec. 23. Please send your submissions to [email protected].

MICHELLE POTTS NOMINATES STEPHANIE BRAWN

“Hi, I would like to nominate Stephanie Brawn for the good neighbor award. We have two small children and one is in school. There were times when our little one was napping during pick up time at school. On more then a few occasions, rather than wake him up and create loads of stress on everyone she would come over to the house while I went to get my daughter from school.  I have a hard time asking for help but Stephanie makes it easy with her willingness.  We love having her as a neighbor.”

Visible walkers get home safely

This week a Lynn Valley friend and I were talking about how difficult it can be to see pedestrians on these ever-darker evenings. Unfortunately, we both knew of people in years past who had been killed while out walking in the dark.

Even though pedestrians may have the ‘walk’ light and be in a crosswalk, dark clothing and/or the brightness of oncoming headlights can transpire to render walkers almost invisible until it’s too late.

A few years ago, a walker came abreast of my car while I was stopped at a stop sign. Having just driven past her (on a road that had no sidewalks), I rolled my passenger-side window down to let her know (in the nicest of terms!) that she really was invisible, and to please take care while she’s out walking. Unfortunately, her response was to chew my head off! My well-intentioned concern had obviously missed the mark, but still I hope she remembered what I said the next time she went out after daylight hours.

Pedestrians simply can’t expect their visibility to be a driver-only responsibility. The most cautious and alert of drivers can fail to see someone who has chosen to dress in all-black ninja garb. And when that someone chooses to dash across the street mid-block rather than use a crosswalk, the chances of an unfortunate collision are even greater.

Of course, many kids think they’re ‘too cool’ to wear reflective clothing, and many adults think they’re exempt because they’re careful to only cross at marked crossings and they stay well to the side of the road. But as RCMP Cpl. Richard De Jong noted in today’s press release – which described three North Van pedestrian accidents that took place in a two-hour span! – all three incidents occurred while the pedestrian was in a marked crossing.

Share this news with your kids, and take it to heart yourself – whether you’re the walker or the driver. When you’re driving your children somewhere in the evening, point out to them how difficult it is to see those pedestrians who are clad in dark clothing compared to those who have dressed with visibility in mind.

Get in the habit of wearing a light-coloured coat, carry a small flashlight, wear clothing with reflective strips built in, and PLEASE remember not to assume that you are easily seen at night time. If you’re being responsible and walking home after an evening at the pub, be extra cautious navigating the streets. Drivers, take that extra moment to search out potential pedestrians, especially when you’re turning left over a crosswalk.

Let’s work together to make sure that all our LynnValleyites get home safely this winter season. A person’s life can change tragically in an instant. Taking a few minutes to search out a flashlight before your walk is well worth the time.

– Peggy Trendell-Jensen, editor