Most Fascinating People of Naramata, 2010!

Home is the place where,

when you have to go there, they have to take you in."

~Robert Frost

I just realised today that I had never properly blogged to thank Craig Henderson and MyNaramata for voting me one of Naramata's most fascinating people of 2010! I once made the joke that it's not hard to make the list of most fascinating of your hometown when only 20 people live there. But it's just a joke, Naramata is full of really interesting, eccentric wonderful people, and I am honoured to be part of such a list of such a community.

On a recent trip back to the Okanagan, I was walking home from the coffee shop and ran into my old classmate from Naramata Elementary school, Josh Wood. He was parked in the middle of the intersection of Ritchie and Third, chatting away with an old gentleman, a relative newcomer to our little town. I suppose I found it amusing to see him parked in the middle of the road like that, chatting away. Such a Naramata thing to do, and as a kid I remember riding my bike around similar discussions happening on the pavement.

"This is John, He's my uncle." Josh introduced his friend as I wandered up doorside.

"Uncle-uncle or Naramata-uncle?" I asked.

"Naramata uncle." He grinned.

And that is the great thing about being local from our little town. No matter how far I go or how long I stay away, I'm always a part of the Naramata family and they will always be a part of me. And I'm proud to be part of a list with such interesting people! (I used to babysit #7 on the list, Alyson Jones, and I can confirm she's been awesome since she was eight!)

Thanks again, Craig (Who also happened to be voted citizen of the year!)!!

(see the original article at MyNaramata here, with working links!)

27th December 2010

Most Fascinating People, 2010

Editor

~ THE YEAR IN REVIEW ~

Here’s a rundown of some fascinating local folks who made our news during 2010.
Their contribution to the rich mosaic of the community helped make Naramata a special place to live. Or, in some cases, their upbringing in Naramata has influenced their lives in the world beyond our local boundaries.

In no particular order:

Melanie Mehrer
She travels and works abroad and then returns home with a global view. Naramata seems to ground Melanie, and she pays it back to the community through the whimsy of her art. Whether its peafowl, dogs at Manitou, bears in trees or pruning orchardists, she has captured it all over the past year.
http://is.gd/jx8ww
http://is.gd/jx8HF
Melanie is a prize-winning photographer too:http://is.gd/jx8Y0


Taylor Cook
Naramata’s favourite saxophone player took a break from his classes at the University of Toronto in February to embark on a BC tour with his quartet:
http://is.gd/jx9o6
He was back in Naramata this month and performed at the Naramata Christmas Concert:
http://is.gd/jx9Oq


Russell Cannings
Throughout 2010, we followed the adventures of former Naramata resident Russell Cannings as he set out to break a bird watching record. By early October, he had done it!
http://is.gd/jx9ZG


Wayne Holland
With Naramata’s most varied vineyard, Wayne is a winemaking artist: http://is.gd/jxavV


Kevin Rudolph
With the completion of a commercial kitchen, Kevin was full steam ahead with making his famous BBQ sauce:
http://is.gd/jxaLQ
We checked in with Kevin later in the year:http://is.gd/jxb8I


Marlene Moloney
A gifted artist in glass, working from a creek side studio, and the first western Canadian member of a prestigious guild of glass engravers:
http://is.gd/jxbiz


Alyson Jones
Interviewing Alyson made me comfortable with the term ‘baby catcher.’ She and partners Marijke and Christy operate Willow Community Midwives:http://is.gd/jxchH
Marijke and Alyson recalled a working adventure in Africa in an article we posted last March:http://is.gd/jxcxm


Rob Van Westen
In July, Rob was amid cherry season when he heard that His Honour BC Lieutentant Governor Steven Point wanted to give him a wine award. Rob invited the LG and his diplomatic delegation of two dozen to the cherry orchard. Rob and Tammie were gracious hosts, and Rob even had a chance to slip in a suggestion that the vice regal consider making an award to honor family farms:
http://is.gd/jxcKa


Oscar Lopez
Oscar with wife Kathi and son Nikolas settled into Naramata in 2010. The two time Juno Award winner would like to compose a Naramata theme one day in future. In the meantime, they are enjoying the tranquility of their new hometown:
http://is.gd/jxdFK

Jan Vozenilek
They moved from Naramata last summer, but this cinematographer and his family added much to community and to school life in the two years they were here.
Jan made a second trip to Midway Atoll in 2010 to make the world aware of a growing plastic crisis in the Pacific Ocean:
http://is.gd/jx4Ao

The Vozenilek family were invited to give an inspirational talk in Penticton last January:http://is.gd/jx58R
Many people enjoyed reading about Jan’s work during the Olympics with the Czech media team:http://is.gd/jx5sQ
And, some of his video work of a laid back summer day in Naramata was shortlisted in an international documentary effort:http://is.gd/jx5J6


RCMP Corporal Dan Moskaluk
A devastating earthquake hit Haiti in January 2010. Naramata resident DanMoskaluk, the RCMP media liaison for the southern interior, has strong emotional ties to Haiti, after two United Nations tours of duty there:
http://is.gd/jx68X


Chris Cornett
In January 2010, local photographer Chris Cornett was nominated in the Business Excellence Awards. It was a great honor for this photo veteran:
http://is.gd/jx6CH


Ashley Hughes
This former Naramata resident was thrilled to be in the Olympic torch relay, and so close to home was a bonus!
http://is.gd/jx7h5


The Cast and Crew of My American Cousin
Sandy Wilson’s classic movie filmed inNaramata celebrated its silver anniversary in September. Our hats off to all local people involved: Sandy, Guy, Jake, Nikos, Jacquie, Alexis, and others:
http://is.gd/jx7KK

Happy New Year, and we look forward to introducing you to more fascinating Naramata people in 2011!