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Families enjoyed a few hours of wonderful entertainment at Maranatha Christian School’s annual slideshow3/051013_maranatha_carnival on Thursday evening.

Entertainment included carnival games like donkey ball, a ring toss, cake walks and the always-popular fish pond. Refreshments were available including hot dogs, chili dogs, chili and a bun, cookies, and drinks.

The Cariboo Memorial Complex is offering a new program: Skateboarding 101 for kids ages 6-12 years starting on Sunday, May 26 and running for four weeks. 

Carly Richardson, the instructor for this course, started longboarding in high school; she saw some older guys doing it and thought it looked fun.  It was more appealing than regular skateboarding, and after the first try she was hooked.

Becky Grosso and Bobbie Robson greeted invited guests at Thompson Rivers University Williams Lake campus, as the Applied Business Technology (ABT) Program hosted their 18th annual open house.

The open house is an opportunity for employers to come and see the work the students have done and what they are capable of doing in the workplace. Each student's portfolio and resumes were available at the portfolio table for potential employers to take with them and look over at their leisure.

The President and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), the national organization for the Canadian mining industry whose members are engaged in mineral exploration, mining, smelting, refining and semi-fabrication, spoke to approximately 60 people at The Pointe Restaurant in Williams Lake last Thursday evening.

Pierre Gratton, began by reminding people that mining companies across the country produce a ‘whole bunch of things’ that people need to live on. “Mining is such an essential industry, people can't live without mining -- it's got to come from somewhere. I'd rather it came from here, because that means that the jobs are here, he said, adding Canada has the strongest environmental awareness, laws and regulations in the world.

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By Jennifer Nickel

This past weekend the Esket First Nation community (Alkali Lake) hosted a ball hockey tournament in honour of local teen, Nick Paul, who passed away in 2012 after a courageous battle with Leukemia.

All proceeds from the multi team tournament went to the Nicholas Paul Foundation, a local organization founded by the family of Nick Paul to support other local families whose children are facing a serious medical crisis.

The online bidding auction aimed at allowing the Williams Lake based Central Cariboo Search and Rescue team to purchase some very important equipment ends at midnight tonight.

The Cariboo Regional District’s Central Cariboo Search and Rescue (CCSAR) team is hoping to raise enough funds to acquire at least one Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC) – a very sensitive piece of equipment that is used to detect the differing temperature of objects, specifically people. This camera will enable the CCSAR crews to locate persons who are lost or injured in various scenarios.

(Click on the image above, or visit www.friendsofccsar.ca to see all of the items available to bid on.)

The public is advised that the Williams Lake Fire Department will be conducting exercises today on Hodgson Road as well as at Scout Island.

Illiano, Lil June, Keeyz and O.g. Zigz of ‘OBT (Oak Bay Tribe)Records’ performed a live youth rally concert in Boitanio Park today for about 200 people.

The OBT group has travelled and performed in several Manitoba and Ontario locations with sold out audiences at the majority of their shows. In January of 2012, OBT released their second CD called ‘Resurrection’.

(Click on the image to visit the OBT Records YouTube page.)

The first and hopefully annual ‘Cowboy Carnival’ was a huge hit with young cowboys and cowgirls in Williams Lake this morning as they got take part in rodeo events like hay-bale roping, miniature pony petting, and barrel racing which consisted of three 3-gallon buckets and hobby horse that the kids had to ‘ride’ around the course.

The barrel bull riding stations were extremely popular, however, of the ten events the most popular stop ended up being one that wasn’t even planned. A skidsteer and farm tractor which were used for arena preparation and maintenance were the big draw! Kids clambered all over the pieces of equipment, honking horns, engaging the back-up beeper and mock-driving the cool farm machines.

(Photo: Children from ‘Wiggles and Giggles Daycare’ gather with Williams Lake Stampede Queen Alexis Forseille, Williams Lake Stampede Princess Terris Billyboy and 2013 Miss Rodeo Canada Gillian Shields.)

Big Brothers and Big Sisters Bowl For Kid’s Sake took place this past weekend and successfully raised $20,200.00.

Bowl for Kids Sake has become one of the best-attended (and most fun) social fun events of the year for businesses, individuals and organizations, and this year was no exception. The 'Big Birthday Bash' theme was popular, inspiring festive, bright and exciting great costumes.

The top fundraiser, Crystal Innes, won a stay for two at the fabulous Dean on Nimpo, including a flightseeing tour with Tweedsmuir Air, while Bridgette Pinchbeck (second highest fundraiser) won a set of dishes courtesy of The Brick plus a Paderno Pan courtesy of Laketown Furnishing.  A Nintendo 3 DS donated by Staples Business Depot was the prize for the third highest fundraiser, Krista Gerrior.

(Photo: The prize for Best Dressed Team went to Amanda Tanner and Sherie Cameron from Barton Insurance.)