This coming Saturday, March 8, is known as International Women’s Day. There is an upcoming rising star who’s determination on the pitching mound is driving a bright future for this well-accomplished female athlete. Sally Leask, daughter of Patrick and Courtney Leask, has a world of opportunity on the pitching mound, with more yet to come. As a youth, Leask was involved in softball from an early onset and it has been opening doors and opportunities for her ever since. She plays with three teams right now, U18 Mission Gold Team, Twos Fast Pitch and Layne’s Stars. Leask has travelled all over Canada and the U.S. to play in tournaments with these teams.
“I had a pretty solid couple of tournaments with the U18 Mission Gold Team,” said Leask. “We played around the Minneapolis area and did well. It’s a close-knit team with very good coaching staff. We all came together and were able to win a couple of games. The team is now very close and I can’t wait to play with them for this upcoming season. It’s a really good community and I like the team so far.
“I played a tournament in Missouri with Team Toba called the Land of the Ozarks Tournament. It was here that I felt I had my best game so far. I pitched a no-hitter with Team Toba and felt that was my greatest game from the fall to now. I’ve actually pitched a couple of perfect games before this one and I’m really proud of that accomplishment.
“Recently, we went to Las Vegas at the end of January,” said Leask. “We had a national coach for the U18 team along with really strong coaching staff. Players from different provinces came together to form the Twos Fast Pitch Team and we won gold. We were up against a bunch of American teams that had been playing together all season and we went undefeated in that tournament. It’s the first time that the program won gold in that tournament. It was a great accomplishment, not only for the program but the team, to make that our goal. I also pitched a perfect game during this tournament as well.
“Now my focus is Twos Fast Pitch, Mission, and my Layne’s Stars Team.”
Leask follows a strict regime and focuses a lot of training during the off-season. This is her first time playing ball in the winter and her hard work has paid off.
“Usually my ball season wraps up around September and then there’s dome ball,” said Leask. “I was in Minnesota where I played a game of dome ball in the University of Minnesota’s dome. It was a cool experience and we did well. It was nice to get back with the team as I haven’t seen them since this fall.
“I noticed the hard work has paid off. I’ve been training very hard with another friend who attends my school. I’ve been going to the gym in the off-season and I need to get stronger for those upcoming games ahead. Hopefully, this upcoming summer, I can accomplish my goals that I set for myself.
“I wake up at 5 a.m. every morning and prioritize my morning routine and having a good night’s sleep,” said Leask. “I train three days a week with a personal trainer and two days a week with my parents at a public gym. The workouts I do with my personal trainer are very intense, and this is my second year of doing circuits and conditioning. I’m grateful for my trainers, but it’s been difficult so far. However, I’m still into doing it. I’ve seen my velocity increase for pitching and my power in batting. It’s paying off and that’s why I like pushing myself harder to get in that extra rep or minute, because I know it will pay off in the long run. I’m doing this for the love of the game.”
Leask is also honing in on her pitching abilities, in terms of speed, velocity and consistency overall.
“At the U17 AAA Provincial Championship in July 2024, I was clocked at pitching 63 miles per hour,” said Leask. “I haven’t clocked since but am hoping to do so again this spring. My goal is to consistently hit 65 miles per hour and plus, but consistently. I also have my rise ball and drop ball that I want to stay consistent with those pitches as well with the velocity of them.”
Leask is very dedicated to her studies and has big ambitions for her future in the medical field. She recently signed with Rider University in New Jersey to play ball with the Broncs for four years. If that offer wasn’t big enough, Leask is still getting more opportunities coming her way.
“I attend Churchill High School and will be finishing my grade 12 at the end of June,” said Leask. “From there, I will be rolling into ball season and am looking forward to it.
“After graduation, I plan to major in biology and from there go into medical school or see the different careers I can pursue with my biology degree, but something in the medical field what I have been interested in. I’m in a medical program right now where I go to hospitals, research centres and different care facilities every other week. I learned more about different careers and caring for patients. I sat in and watched live surgeries, learned how to administer IVs or casts and x-rays.
“I just found out when I was playing with Mission, I got the opportunity to play for Team Netherlands as an import, and will be competing at the International level,” said Leask. “The tournament is called the Triple Crown International Challenge and it’s going to be in Colorado. I will be missing my graduation ceremony to be at the Triple Crown International Challenge, but I received this incredible opportunity and decided to take it. So, experiencing a graduation ceremony will be the one thing I will be missing out on.
“I’m pumped about this and it’s my motivation to train hard, graduate and have a full competitive season of softball. There has been a lot of new opportunities since last summer. All these tournaments and new opportunities have been incredible and I’m excited for the summer.
“This summer, I plan to attend tournaments in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, through U18 Team Mission Gold,” said Leask. “While playing in Vegas, I had a well-pitched game and hitting, and was asked to play at the PGF Nationals in California. I was asked to play with the U18 Las Vegas Team, which is being coached by a Team Canada alumni. I am waiting on confirmation dates for that tournament.”
Leask is fortunate that her family is very supportive of her through a very hectic and demanding ball schedule that has them travelling all over. She is grateful to have them there for her while she takes to the mound in some pretty heavy-hitting tournaments.
“My parents and brother are there every game, every inning, even practices,” said Leask. “My family supports me the entire time and I’m thankful for them and what they do for me. It isn’t just me, but it takes my whole family to make me into a better athlete.
“It can be nerve-wracking, but I have full faith in myself, in what I am doing and in my mindset. I have it in my mindset to do well, and my parents have prepped me mentally and physically for that as well. I know that I have that support system too in my parents, teammates, coaches and friends. I’m glad I have Mission, Twos Fast Pitch and Layne’s Stars teams for that as well.”
Some other notable tournaments and opportunities Leask has coming up this year have her more than eager for summer to come.
“I will be attending Canadian Natives, which will be hosted in Manitoba this year. I will be playing with the Layne’s Stars team for that tournament. This should be my strongest year of ball this year.
“My next goal is to prepare for Team Canada tryouts, which are this summer. I hope to have a good rookie season with the Broncs.”

Many families have created legacies within the Swan Valley based on their contributions, time and effort given to projects they are most passionate about. For Carolyn and the late Harvey Baldwin, skiing was something that brought them together and a sport they shared with their family and generations to come.
“When I moved to Swan River in the mid 70’s, what drew me the most to Thunderhill Ski Club was its beauty and that it was not far from my doorstep,” said Carolyn Baldwin. “After a few years of skiing, I decided to join the board in the late 70’s. It was just a small club at that time.
“It was on the slopes where I first met Harvey and well, that’s a story in itself. Our family grew, when we had two girls, LeeAnne and Lana. The Thunderhill Ski Club was our family time, where they learned to ski, work, and volunteer. Now I am enjoying teaching my 2-year-old grandson Coulter to ski.”
Both Carolyn and Harvey were active in the Thunderhill Ski Club. They both saw many positive changes and expansion of the facility over the years.
“Being part of the Thunderhill Ski Club board for 40 plus years and managing day-to-day operations for approximately 25 years, I have seen many changes and projects,” said Baldwin. “The Chalet expanding, the new shop installed, and new slopes being developed.
“The biggest project of my time was upgrading the T-bar. 2011 began the long project of installing the Brandson Express and JB Construction lifts. Harvey came on board helping with the installation and moved to being the hill manager.”
Carolyn accredits Thunderhill Ski Resort’s growth to all the people who worked there together to make things happen. Everyone pitched in to get things done and helped it to grow into what it has become today.
“In all the years I have been with Thunderhill Ski Club and the projects I worked on, the one thing I know is it’s the team that makes it happen,” said Carolyn. “Thunderhill Ski Club has a big team behind it.
“Throughout the time I managed the hill, I always had an awesome team supporting me, from staff to board members and volunteers. I was so grateful to have that support.”
Recently the Thunderhill Ski Club presented a special tribute to the Baldwin family and their efforts to help the facility improve and grow. One of the ski runs has been named after them and will be there for all to enjoy as much as the Baldwins have enjoyed skiing.
“It is an honor to Harvey, myself and our daughters to recently have Homeward Bound renamed to Baldwin’s Bend,” said Carolyn. “As well as being recognized along with those who have come before us and those who will continue the legacy of Thunderhill Ski Club.”

What started as a hobby and a love for sewing has led to the creation of a successful business, which is now celebrating a milestone anniversary. Empty Bobbin Quilt and Fabric Shop is celebrating five successful years in business in Swan River.
“I’ve always been involved in sewing, whether it was projects or quilts,” said Empty Bobbin Quilt and Fabric Shop Owner and Operator Julie Baskier. “A couple of years before opening the store, I purchased a long-arm sewing machine and was working with it to create projects as a way to make some money on the side. What I charged customers then, just basically fed my hobby.
“The Swan Valley Co-op closed down their clothing department that had fabric and another fabric store in town was making plans to leave. My youngest child was headed off to school that fall, so I thought it was time to do this and see how it went. I feel it has been a good decision and I’ve been happy with it ever since.”
Over the past five years, Baskier has seen her business grow in many different ways.
“The business has grown in customer base for sure,” said Baskier. “I have a lot of out-of-town customers. Even looking at what I ship out for online orders and where they are going. I’m seeing repeats from the same area, so the word is getting out there. Just getting to be known that way is growth.
“I remember when I was about three years into this business, I would get people coming in and saying they didn’t know my shop was in Swan River and they had been coming here all the time for appointments. I have been hearing that less and less, so I know that people are more aware there is a fabric store in town and that can also be accessed online.
“Then there is the inventory,” said Baskier. “During my live recording with Cody, I mentioned it would be interesting to see what my first live recording looked like when I opened the store, to what it looks like now. We both commented on how the store has more inventory since I opened and there is a larger selection to choose from.
“Right from the get-go, I knew I would offer online as an option for shoppers. At that time, social media had taken off and people who were sewing were on there. As I was setting up shop, I knew that there were people who shop online, even if they could access it right there, some prefer that method of shopping. I knew I had to do this to ensure I would have the customer base I needed.
“The online portion of my business did take longer to build up a customer base than the brick and mortar did,” said Baskier. “I opened up in January 2020 and had started online at that point as well, so that was kind of my savings grace when the pandemic hit. I was already established online and it allowed me to be able to continue through that platform.
“The other thing is we have expanded from brick and mortar and online to going on the road and doing quilt shows. We have a set quilt show road trip that we do. We attended the quilt market this year because it let us meet the people designing the fabrics face to face, so that was exciting growth-wise. Then the quilt retreat we do has been something we’ve added to the business and it’s grown since then.”
Despite opening up the Empty Bobbin Quilt and Fabric Shop just months before the pandemic, Baskier was fortunate and successful in keeping her business open during a time that was challenging and detrimental to many businesses.
“I will never forget my mom saying to me, ‘People without a hobby, what are they doing now?’,” said Baskier. “At that time, she was coming to the store to help me get orders ready for customers to pick up. When the pandemic hit, she was afraid my business would be done. I wasn’t 100 percent certain what the shop’s future was either, but fortunately, it worked.
“I think it was because I had only been open for two and half months before the pandemic hit, that I was able to pivot. I was still swimming and trying to figure out my business and what it all entailed. Because of that, I feel I was able to adapt my way of doing business much easier.”
Baskier is still processing that her business is celebrating five years of operation. She has enjoyed many aspects of running her own business and has plans for the future operations of the Empty Bobbin Quilt and Fabric Shop.
“I would definitely love to continue to grow the business,” said Baskier. “I have a list of sewing and craft supplies I would like to carry in the store and to be able to bring that in would be exciting. I would like to hold more classes, but I have four kids. One is graduated, one will be graduating and there are two more behind. I can see in the future, being able to have more time to dedicate to hosting regular classes.
“The classes I host right now are just sporadic and would like to host regular ones in the future. I’ve held three annual quilting retreats and have 50 quilters come. It’s always an exciting time to prep for that and experience it over three days, but it would be nice to experience that energy more regularly.
“I have enjoyed the new friendships I have made since starting up the business,” said Baskier. “Whether that is customers or other quilt shop owners or people I’ve met from going to quilt shows, that part to me, has been the most exciting. I’ve met so many different quilters and learned from them as individuals. I like to get to know people. As I am helping them pick out fabric, it’s really interesting to hear their views and way of life, while getting to know them. It allows me to expand my horizons without having to leave my shop.
“I can’t get over all the different people I’ve met in the last five years through the shop. It just blows my mind sometimes.”

Grandparents are also the biggest fans when it comes to watching a student compete in a high school sport. Murray and Sheila Mullin were a couple of the proudest grandparents ever when they went down to Texas to watch their granddaughters, Scarlett and Lily Nichol, compete in the Texas State National Cheer Championships.
Scarlett and Lily are the daughters of Tanya Nichol, Murray and Sheila’s daughter. Scarlett is in Grade 8 and Lily is in Grade 10.
“This was our first time watching our granddaughters in competition,” said Murray Mullin. “During the year they cheer at their high school’s football and basketball games.
“We’ve watched them at regular games, but not at a competition,” said Sheila Mullin. “The Texas State National Cheer Championships were held at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. It was a huge event that started at 8 a.m. All through the day, there were competitions and I would say the crowd ranged from 1,500 to 2,000 people at certain points.”
Not only was it a big event for both Scarlett and Lily, but for Murray and Shiela as well as they awaited the final results.
“It was quite good and there was lots of excitement and cheering; it was quite the experience,” said Murray. “When they announce the finalists, they start by announcing the placements in reverse order. For example, if they have 12 teams, they announce the twelfth-place team and so on until they announce the championship team.
“For Scarlett, her team finished in third place in their division. With Lily, they kept announcing the placements until they got down to the final three. I was sitting there with my head in my hands, and when they called out the second place and it wasn’t her team, we knew they were the championship team.
“Just watching the team hugging each other and their excitement over winning the Texas State Championship brought tears to my eyes,” said Murray. “They work so hard at this because they started before the beginning of the school year. In July, there is a camp they attend and throughout their summer holidays, they are practicing. Then every day at school, each student is required to participate in sports. Lily practices every day and then after school, they are there until 5:30 p.m. practising. They are very dedicated and to be on the team, they must maintain an 80 percent average in their school work.
“It was amazing because as a grandparent, it’s an honour to watch grandchildren participate in their chosen sport or activity,” said Sheila. “Then when they excel, and the dedication and determination come to fruition, and the result is being a state champion, it’s beyond thrilling.
“Lily’s team performed flawlessly and hit zero. When a team hits zero means they have no deductions, which is ultimately what these teams strive for in competition.”
The Mullins also go to see their grandchildren perform their best under some adversity and pressure, as they had to bounce back from some obstacles that were in the way.
“Scarlett is one of the flyers that are at the top,” said Murray. “When one of her teammates was dismounting the formation, she put her hand down to stabilize and they received a deduction for that, which was one of the factors that led them to place third.”
“Saturday was the competition day, so on Friday Lily’s team was going through their last preparations for their performance and one teammate fell and was injured. They had to change their performance last minute because they were missing a flyer. They went in Saturday afternoon and practiced for three to four hours, changed their routine and when they performed it, they got a perfect score. That alone was pretty exciting to know they achieved that under those circumstances.”
Scarlett and Lily Nichol have been immersed in the world of cheerleading since they settled in Texas and started school there.
“I always saw my sister doing cheer when I was in sixth grade and she was in eighth grade, and I thought it would be fun,” said Scarlett. “I saw some tumblers on the team and thought it would be cool to learn. In seventh grade, I tried out and made the team.
“The first time I went to a State Championship, it was very nerve-wracking. I was really scared, but my coaches were good at talking to us and making sure we were ok. Once we got out there, it was really fun.
“This time, it was less nerve-wracking and more team bonding, because I’m in eighth grade this year, I had to help the ones in seventh grade prepare for this. I was providing more support for them, but I still was nervous during parts of it.
“It was fun for my grandparents to see us compete in a State Championship,” said Scarlett. “I felt like they thought we did really good.”
Lily has had a remarkable year in cheerleading this year, for she is co-captain of the team and this has been hailed as a rare opportunity for someone of her age.
“This is my third time going to State Championships and placing at them,” said Lily. “I started in my eighth grade year when we moved down here. My Spanish teacher was the coach and I heard her talking about tryouts and asking people if they were interested. I took home a flyer and talked to my mom about it, and things just went from there. I wasn’t in any other sports or clubs at the time. I figured I would try out and see where it took me. I fell in love with the sport and now am a State Champion.

A local service club celebrated a milestone recently and has developed quite a history in the area.
“The Bowsman Lions Club started on December 7, 1984, and our 40th Anniversary celebration was held exactly 40 years to the date,” said Bowsman Lions Keith Behrmann. “The Swan River Lions Club sponsored us. Lion members Wayne McGimpsey and Garry Mills were instrumental in making this club happen. I believe there needed to be a minimum of 22 people signed up to form a Lions Club in the community. They approached members of the community to form the Bowsman Lions Club.
Behrmann was not a part of the original formation of the Bowsman Lions Club, but he transitioned to the club once another Lions Club in the area had folded.
“I was not a chartered member of the Bowsman Lions Club at that time,” said Behrmann. “First, I wound up being a member of the Birch River Lions Club, which was sponsored by the Bowsman Lions Club. Because of rural depopulation, the Birch River Lions Club folded. At the time, I was away working and when I came back, I was approached by Bowsman Lions member Ken Sutherland to join their club, and so I did.
“I don’t believe you can live in a community and not contribute. I’ve always been active in the community and still am to this day.”
The Bowsman Lions are deeply rooted in the history of the community. A major event that happened in the community, which put the town on the map, also became the inspiration for their logo.
“There is a lot of history for the Bowsman Lions,” said Behrmann. “When you take a look at our logo, it’s based on an event that happened in January of 1967. All the biffys in Bowsman were gathered up and burned because a water and septic system was installed in the community. It even wound up on CBC, so we fashioned our logo after that. Lion member Tyson Boychuk was part of creating the design.”
The Bowsman Biffy Burning made headlines across Canada and some news stations in the U.S. On New Year’s Eve in 1966, a crowd gathered near the new water and sewage treatment plant to watch the burning of approximately 26 biffys in the community.
The Bowsman Lions Club has been active in fundraising, both independently and as a joint effort with the other Lions Clubs in the Valley.
“One of the bigger events was the Bull-a-rama and the catalyst behind it was Lions member Outhwaite,” said Behrmann. “Over the years, that event sort of played itself out and it ran its course. Most of the money raised from that specific event over the years went to medical purposes for purchasing equipment to stay locally. We purchased equipment for eye surgery, maternity equipment and beds.
“We partnered with the golf course and split the proceeds 50/50 and did that a couple of times. Some of the money raised went to the Bowsman Daycare Centre. When the Ukraine-Russia War broke out, the Bowsman Lions put on a Ukrainian supper at the Veterans’ Hall. We were able to raise and contribute $18,000 to the relief fund.
“Last year, we put on another fundraising dinner and raised $16,500 that went towards the new CT Scanner in the community,” said Behrmann. “In 2025, it will be the actual 25th Anniversary of the Billy Beal event that raises funds for medical assistance. This year, we’ve contributed over $18,000 towards Valley residents through each Lions Club in the Valley. Everyone pitches in to make this happen.
“If it weren’t for the Lions Clubs in the Valley, we wouldn’t have cataract surgeries available in Swan River. We also banded together for Kids Sight, which is a handheld machine that goes into the classrooms and can tell if children need glasses or not. Every year, they go in and test this, and about 20 percent of children tested every year need glasses. This early recognition allows them to get a referral to an optometrist to get glasses.
“Other things we do to raise funds are recycling batteries, hosting pancake breakfasts and barbeques,” said Behrmann. “The Journey For Sight has been another big event we raise funds for and we have two members dedicated to that event. There are other things that our club has been in the background doing. It’s a matter of community service and if there Is a need there, we band together to help. There have been some instances where a traumatic event has happened to a family in the Valley and we’ve helped them in any way we could. The Valley community has always stepped up to fill in a need.
“It’s all part of the Lions mantra ‘We Serve’. It requires community-minded people who want to do community-minded things. There are just under 1.3 million Lions members in the world in over 180 countries and all started from the mindset of one individual, Melvin Jones, back in 1917, and has grown into what it is today.”
The Bowsman Lions are still looking to recruit members to keep the club going for more years to come.
“We need some younger members to join,” said Behrmann. “We did have a membership drive last year and had a few new members sign up.”
The 40th Anniversary celebration for the Bowsman Lions had some dignitaries come out for the event and welcomed some new members as well.
“The event was held on December 7 at the Bowsman Legion with a catered supper,” said Behrmann. “We had the District Governor in attendance and two members from Minnesota that were in attendance. We dedicated the evening to former Lions member Mel Brelinski who passed away.
“Lions members Corinna Medwid and Darcy Parsons were inducted as Lions members at the anniversary celebration.

Pursuing a career in acting or music is not an easy feat, for there are many talented people out there chasing that same dream. Former Benito resident Kris Josephson, whose artist name is Kris Anders, has not only been working in the music scene but is now doing some film work as well.
“I was performing as a singer and songwriter in the summer of 2020 at a charity fundraiser in Kelowna, B.C.,” said Anders. “After I was done with my set, I was approached by a talent agent with VA Entertainment. She enjoyed my set and invited me to apply to be part of her agency. I ended up joining her team and shortly after that, I was booked for my first movie. It was a Hallmark wedding film called Planning on Forever, and my role was to play a guitar player in the wedding band. It was quite the experience for my first movie.
“I also decided to try to work more in film. The next one was in February of this year, as a continuity background actor in a Lifetime thriller called Secret Life of my Other Wife. My role was to play a ranch hand with a shady criminal past and I was on set for three days of shooting for this role. After that, the roles kept coming in.
“I played a patron in a restaurant for a movie called A Christmas Less Traveled that was filmed in Peachland, B.C.,” said Anders. “Then I played a pedestrian in a true crime movie called The Girl Locked Upstairs: the Tanya Kach Story. I was also in a movie called The Last Thing She Said, and I was initially booked to just be a patron in a restaurant, however, once on set, I was asked if I could play the chef in the restaurant. My next movie was a Hallmark Christmas movie called Christmas, Love and Fudge, where I played an artisan in a Christmas market.”
This summer Anders had the opportunity to star in another movie in a background role capacity alongside an actress he grew up watching on television.
“In the summer of 2024, I was booked to play several background roles in a movie starring Heather Locklear filmed in Kelowna, B.C.,” said Anders. “It’s a true crime movie called Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: the Ruby Franke Story. There was some controversy over the movie being filmed as the real-life characters had only recently been sentenced to prison. All of which I had no idea of until I showed up on set.
“I ended up in three different scenes as first a pedestrian on the boardwalk, then again as a conference attendee in line for a book signing that erupts into a chaotic scene. Casting called me back for a second day of shooting, where I played one of the men in the support group led by Heather Locklear’s character.
“The director placed me in a chair next to Heather, so I was onscreen for this scene. It was pretty cool to make my on-scene debut next to an actress that I had grown up seeing on TV shows in the 80’s and 90’s. Heather was really nice and friendly while on set, and I managed to chat with her a bit in between takes.”
Being a background actor isn’t as glamorous as one might think. There is a lot of uncertainty, so flexibility in one’s schedule is key to making it work.
“Some of the challenges to this work would be the scheduling,” said Anders. “We are often given really short notice on bookings and even once booked, we rarely know the set location or the times we are supposed to be there until late the night before. You have to be flexible as well. They may decide you’re a better fit for a different role once you arrive.
“We are often responsible for our wardrobe too, so I’ve learned to bring a bunch of different looks to change into if something changes. Background actors are traditionally at the bottom of the pecking order on a working set. Expect long days, often in challenging weather. I’ve had to wear a huge ugly Christmas sweater for a movie that was shooting in August in the Okanagan heat.”
Being in the film industry allows Anders to tap into another creative side. It also gives him the opportunity to network with other aspiring musicians, and has presented more opportunities.
“I love the creative side of it,” said Anders. “Things change rapidly on set, and I like that you never know what you may end up doing that day. I find that now, when I watch movies at home, I am often thinking about how that particular shot was filmed, what the director was aiming for, and how long it may have taken to get that particular shot completed.
“I also get to meet a lot of other folks who are aspiring actors, models, or other musicians like myself who happen to have some downtime in their music career. I’ve ended up working on some side projects with at least two other musicians this way, not to mention being given a reference to other potential opportunities.”
Anders has another movie coming up and is working on getting more into the casting world. He still will perform and write music, with this just being another complementary talent he can indulge in.
“I recently was in another true crime movie called the Regina Smith Story about a serial killer in Dallas, TX,” said Anders. “I play a bad guy and I’m onscreen getting booked into the police station by an officer.
I’m pursuing my Actor’s Union membership and need just a few more days on set to qualify for that. I’ve also had my name added to a Casting Network that seeks out actors for commercials as well as films.
“My main passion is still writing, recording and performing music, so that will always remain at the forefront of my creative work. However, I’ve learned to be open to opportunities that arise and at this point, acting seems to be heading in a positive direction for me. The main networks that film here in the Okanagan are Hallmark and Lifetime channels, so if you happen to be watching any movies, you might see a familiar face in the background.”
Anders accredits all of his different life and learning skills to being extremely beneficial when it comes to being in film. Having a variety of skill sets can lead to opportunities in background acting.
“For anyone with experience in music, skating, ability to ride horses, martial arts, or with firearm experience, these are all valuable skills to have for film work if any of your readers get a chance to audition for background acting, be sure to mention the above,” said Anders.

Travelling to Canada has become a highlight and a must for many foreign travellers. If you recall a story that ran back in March of this year, in the Star and Times, a couple from Chile were travelling from their home country to North America. Macarena Orozco and her family fell in love with the Valley so much that they made Birch River their home. Through connections, they had a friend travel from Argentina to come and visit them while documenting the journey here.
“I’m originally from Patagonia, Argentina, and a couple of years ago, I started a project to restore a 1970s Ford Falcon, which is a vehicle made and very common in Argentina, and undertake a road trip from Ushuaia in Patagonia all the way to Alaska,” said Fabián Viaja.
“I went to Birch River because I knew that a family of Chilean travellers was living there. My plan to reach Alaska is divided into two stages. These Chilean travellers have spoken highly of Birch River and the Swan Valley, so in the past few days, I have been exploring the area and getting to know more about the local community. I have been documenting the entire trip on my YouTube channel, FABIANVIAJA, which to date has nearly 50,000 subscribers.
“The first stage is to reach Canada and leave my Ranchero, that’s what I call my Ford model, in Wadena, Saskatchewan,” said Viaja. “This is where there is another family of Argentine travellers residing and they will take care of the vehicle during the winter. After leaving the car, I will return to Argentina and then fly from Argentina to resume my journey to Alaska when the weather permits.”
Viaja has been on this journey for quite some time and has gone through five countries, from Central America to North America.
“I have been travelling for almost a year,” said Viaja. “My journey has taken me through Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. Then, I crossed Central America by boat to Mexico and subsequently travelled through the United States, where my wife joined me to explore various places across the country.
“After that, I entered Canada through Saskatchewan and stayed a couple of days in Wadena at my Argentine friend’s house. Later, I coordinated with La Maca and El Gabo, the Chileans, to reach Birch River and get to know the area. It took me nearly a year to arrive at the Valley.”
There has been so much for Viaja to see and take in as he made his way to Birch River. He has had nothing but positive experiences in his interactions with Canadians.
“Overall, it has been a very pleasant journey without major setbacks, only some mechanical issues that I have been able to resolve along the way,” said Viaja. “I have been pleasantly surprised by Canadians. They have been very kind and friendly. They have shown great interest in getting to know my vehicle, and despite my limited English, I have managed to understand their good wishes for my adventure.
“This is my first time in Canada. Although I have only been here for a couple of weeks, I have a lovely and positive impression. People are truly friendly and always willing to help. They have been very curious about my car and have stopped me more often than in other countries. The forests I have encountered are truly beautiful. While I have visited very small towns in Canada, my stay has been very pleasant, as there is a sense of tranquillity and silence, something highly desired in large cities.
“I have visited many towns and cities that have caught my attention,” said Viaja. “Due to the uniqueness of their landscapes, I could highlight the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Grand Canyon in the United States, and the Canadian Prairies, which remind me of the Patagonia region in Argentina because of their vastness and sense of solitude.
“I have spent very little time in the town of Swan River,” said Viaja. “I have been mainly in Birch River and its nearby lakes. Although it is a very small town, the neighbours have been very kind and affectionate with me. Some have even come to where I have been staying just to greet me and welcome me. Such a lovely gesture!
“Additionally, I have participated in some antique car shows in the United States, where I won the Most Unique Car Award, and also in the Sturgis motorcycle shows in the USA. Regarding Canada, although I have travelled little, the lakes north of the Swan Valley are very beautiful, complemented by their lovely forests with autumn colours.
“In the second stage of my trip, I plan to explore more of Canada,” said Viaja. “My car is not prepared for winter, so I hope to return to Birch River in April next year to continue my adventure when the weather conditions permit.”
Viaja’s stay in Birch River seemed like a short one, but he vows to return next year.
“I stayed in Birch River for one week and then returned to Wadena to prepare my car for the winter, and subsequently travel back to Argentina,” said Viaja. “In Argentina, I will continue with another project I have. I’m remodelling an old Mercedes-Benz motorhome and will be travelling through Patagonia. As winter ends and the good weather returns to Canada, I will come back and visit the Valley again with the Ranchero.
“I hope to return in April to resume the second stage of my journey. Perhaps around that time, you might see the Ranchero parked somewhere in the Valley.”

A Canadian author with local ties to the Valley has transformed her mother’s life story into a National Best Seller. Roxana Spicer is the daughter of Eric and Agnes Spicer and started out as a documentary filmmaker and former CBC investigative journalist. She has travelled to various parts of the world to track down a story, but the greatest story she’s ever uncovered was that of her own mother. She knew from an early age, her mother had a story to tell.
“It seems I’ve been a storyteller all my life,” said Roxana Spicer. “I did my first public reading of original work when I was ten years old, a budding playwright in the village of Netherhill, Saskatchewan. I would take over our family veranda, rig up blankets for stage curtains, and even charge 25 cents a show.
“One new kid arrived on opening night, stayed for the performance, then left without paying. I shot her with my brother’s BB gun loaded with grain. A couple of minutes later, her mom showed up on the doorstep. ‘I understand Jewel owes you 25 cents,’ she said, reaching into her purse and pulling out two quarters. ‘Here’s fifty cents. The second quarter is for you to promise never to play with my daughter again.’ I probably should have been sent to reformatory school for that! But fifty years later, Jewel arrived at this week’s Saskatchewan book launch in Kindersley near Netherhill, laughing about the incident. In fact, she paid for everyone at the table, including my three Spicer relatives who’d made the trip from Swan River.
“In the half-century between these two stage performances, my career has primarily been that of a documentary filmmaker,” said Spicer. “I have travelled the world for all the major Canadian television networks. The story of my mother remains the most compelling story I have ever undertaken.”
This is the first book Spicer has written and published. The story of her mother’s experience in WWII has captivated readers and critics alike.
“The Traitor’s Daughter is my debut into the literary world,” said Spicer. “Since its Canadian launch in late August, my memoir about Mom and our story has remained on the National Best Sellers’ list as one of Canada’s top ten non-fiction books. It has also been included in the Globe and Mail’s Fall book preview of 62 new titles to read this season.
“I first told my mom I was going to write a book about her right around the time I was packing heat in the 80-person village of Netherhill and performing little plays on our veranda in 1965. Mom was a Russian combat soldier fighting Nazis on the Eastern Front during World War Two. She could pitch a handful of kitchen knives across the room and form a perfect pattern around a frying pan hanging on the wall.
“She was the most fascinating woman I ever met. How could I not write a book about her?” asked Spicer. “The Traitor’s Daughter, however, began as a documentary idea for Canadian television audiences shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. It grew into a rich, complex, multi-layered story of a mother-daughter relationship as well as a war story, told through a woman’s very specific point of view.
“Writing a book enabled me to share all those layers with readers. I travelled to ten countries and three continents over thirty years to write this book.
“The Traitor’s Daughter is published by the largest, most prestigious publishing house in Canada,” said Spicer. “Penguin Random House also publishes Margaret Atwood and several other brilliant Canadian voices. It is beyond my literary abilities to describe what a thrill it is to run into Ms. Atwood recording her audiobook in the booth next to mine on the 14th floor of the head office in Toronto.
“The last two years of working with my brilliant executive editor Lara Hinchberger has been the highlight of a fifty-year career. I only wish Lara had been able to join me this week on our book launch in Saskatchewan, back to Netherhill, Kindersley, and Saskatoon, where The Traitor’s Daughter pulled in standing room only crowds. Every book was sold before I stepped onto the stage to read.”
The experience of writing a book, especially one so personal, has been a remarkable endeavour. One that has brought a lot of hard work to life but also something to be proud of, for it was no easy task.
“I have been writing this book one way or the other since I was ten years old,” said Spicer. “The actual full-time writing took seven years; however, I did eight drafts before I was satisfied I’d found the voice’ of the book. It’s a woman’s story, a war story, and the story of Canada’s only officially registered war bride among 47-thousand European women who fell in love with Canadian soldiers and followed their new husbands back to Canada after the war.
“There were two enjoyable experiences in writing this book. My twin brother Victor wrote it was the most profound experience of his internal life to read this gripping, largely unknown story of his mother.
“Then my older brother Harold flew from Calgary with his wife Diana, to be at the national book launch in Toronto, and when I scanned a packed house of book buyers, literary agents, television executives, and Canadian cinema directors, former war correspondents, and a real who’s who of Canadian literati,” said Spicer. “It was the sight of my brother’s eyes welling up and his grin as he stood to join a standing ovation that will remain a real transcendent moment.”
“However, to write a book is to live it. Every minute I was writing about details of my mother’s capture by the Nazis, imagining her terror at the hands of knife-wielding German captors on the Eastern Front during World War Two, relying on her cleverness and resolve to survive, took me into the darkest corners of my imagination. Then, to take these scenes, fleshing out the context of what was happening all around her while resisting the temptation to stray beyond what I knew to be true, to find the right words and to bring the highest standards of journalistic rigour to every sentence, that was a minute-by-minute challenge that lasted seven years.”
Spicer’s novel has been gaining momentum and popularity. Not only is it a best seller, but it has become the topic for many radio and television shows, giving Spicer and her mother an opportunity to talk about it.
“The Canadian public has fallen in love with my mom,” said Spicer. “The Traitor’s Daughter hit number two on the National Best Sellers’ List the first weeks after it landed in Canadian bookstores in late August. The momentum continues.
“The highest-rated CBC Radio program, The Current with Matt Galloway, gave Mom and me half an hour on prime time radio, describing the book as compelling, a page-turner. Zoomer Magazine did a multi-page spread with photos, echoing Penguin’s words: A masterful narration. I appeared on the CBC National, as well as the Bell network radio show, hosted by Richard Crouse.”
Writing this book has been a dream come true for Spicer and the support she has received from people purchasing the book has been overwhelming. The Traitor’s Daughter can be found on bookstore shelves as well as be ordered online.
“The Traitor’s Daughter is now available in all major bookstores across Canada, including Costco,” said Spicer. “Look for it on the Best Sellers’ shelf at Indigo Chapters, as well as McNally-Robinson in Winnipeg and Saskatoon. It’s also available to purchase on Amazon and Penguin Random House Canada.
“Every single book sale keeps Mom’s story alive. This was the promise I made to my Russian mother in Netherhill, Saskatchewan, during the Cold War. Today, it is readers in Swan River and beyond who help me keep that sacred word.”

The art of Ukrainian dance has started up again for the year with the Vesselli dancers enrolled in Ukrainian dance classes. The Benito Vesselli Dance Club has been fortunate to have strong and dedicated instructors to ensure that the art of Ukrainian dance continues in the Valley. Amanda Bulycz and Austin Spencer are both former students of the Vesselli Dance Club and are now instructors.
“I started Ukrainian dancing with Benito Vesselli Dance Club at the age of three,” said Bulycz. “My mom and her siblings danced with Vesselli, and my grandmother was active in the club by sewing costumes, pinching perogies, and volunteering her time with anything else that was needed. My mom later became Vesselli’s instructor, so I guess you can say it was our family tradition to celebrate our culture by joining Ukrainian dance. As I got older, I fell in love with performing on stage, learning more about my culture, and just the overall dance community and dance family with Vesselli.
“As a child, I loved everything about Ukrainian Dance, from performing on stage to getting together with my dance friends every week for practice. I also loved learning new combinations and dance regions. But my absolute favourite part was celebrating and sharing my culture. Ukrainian Dance has this power of emotions and pride behind it that when you experience it, you just want more.”
“I started Ukrainian dancing when I was six years old,” said Spencer. I can’t recall what made me go to my first practice, but I’m sure it had something to do with my mom pushing me to go.
“My favourite part of Ukrainian dance was probably the same as most kids, the competitions. I can remember looking forward to dancing on the big stage at the end of the season. Even though we all got very nervous waiting backstage to go on, the feeling of excitement and pride we felt after a great performance was always an awesome feeling.”
There are so many different styles of Ukrainian dance that can be appreciated. Each style of dance comes from and represents a certain region in Ukraine.
“Every region of Ukraine is so unique and I could list many things from each region that I love,” said Bulycz. “For example, I love the energetic steps, jumps and high kicks from the Volyn region or the fast movements and unique music of the Hutzul region. Every region has its style of steps and music, which keeps not only performing these dances fun but choreographing and instructing each region keeps classes new, interesting and exciting.
“My favourite style of dance would be Hopak. This dance is not only an honour to perform, but I love creating new choreography and instructing Hopak dances. This is one of the main reasons I started my Ensemble: to continue challenging, creating and sharing Hopak with the community. This dance allows dancers to showcase their unique tricks and steps. “You often see male dancers performing incredible acrobatic moves and the female dancers spinning incredibly fast. All dancers move at high speeds, all while being graceful and moving delicately across the stage. Not only is this dance fun to choreograph and perform, it is amazing to experience from the audience as well.”
“For most of my childhood, I enjoyed performing Poltava dances,” said Spencer. “These dances are always high energy with many jumps and kicks thrown into the mix. As I got older, I was always most excited to perform our Hopak. Hopak dances are usually made up of a large group that shows off all the tricks they’ve worked so hard to perfect.”
For both Bulycz and Spencer, the decision to further their Ukrainian dance skills were apparent as they moved on from being the student to becoming an instructor.
“I loved Ukrainian dancing and when I was approached at 16 years old to instruct alongside my uncle with the Hudson Bay Cheremka Dance Club,” said Bulycz. “I knew I wanted to share this love with others. Ukrainian dance is so special to me, and I knew my career wouldn’t and couldn’t end after high school graduation, I wanted and needed to continue to share this love and passion.
“I’m proud to say I have been with Vesselli, whether that’s as a dancer or instructor, since I was three years old and never missed a year. I’m also proud to have been instructing, choreographing and running workshops for many clubs across Saskatchewan and Manitoba for 20 years now, and every year is more exciting than the last.
“Initially, when I started instructing at age 16, I hadn’t taken any courses specific to instructing,” said Bulycz. “I had participated in many workshops and seminars as a dancer but not as an instructor. At that time, everything I knew was taught to me by my past instructors, as well as getting advice from my mom and uncle, who both instructed Ukrainian dance.
“Throughout the years, I jumped at any opportunity to learn and grow as an instructor, whether that’s participating in an Instructor Workshop, studying and continuing to learn more about Ukraine with online courses, or networking with other instructors. Over the years, I have met so many amazing people in the Ukrainian dance world to share ideas, and we learn from and help each other.”
“I jumped at the opportunity to teach dance with the club that I was a part of my whole life,” said Spencer. “I think it’s really important to keep activities like this available in our small communities for all to enjoy. Vesselli gave a lot to my childhood and I’m proud to have the opportunity to pass on the lessons I learned to the younger generation.
“While I don’t have any formal certifications in teaching Ukrainian dance, I lean on my 20 years of experience to help provide instruction. I am hoping to attend some courses in the future to provide the best instruction that I can.”
“I started assisting the younger dancers alongside my Vesselli instructors when I was 14 years old,” said Bulycz. “At age 16, I started choreographing and Instructing with Hudson Bay Cheremka Dance Club and then by age 18, I was instructing Benito Vesselli along with three other dance clubs from Saskatchewan.
“I have enjoyed so many things about instructing Ukrainian dance. I could write a book about the multiple experiences and excitement it has brought. I love creating and choreographing a new dance and watching it come to life. Often, I’m finding music and coming up with new choreography in my living room and you never know if what you are imagining will be able to work with the group of dancers.
“It’s a huge accomplishment when you get to see this come to life on the stage at a competition or year-end concerts,” said Bulycz. “Having dancers receive their highest marks, accomplish their goals, receive scholarships and trophies, their sense of pride and being able to stand backstage and see their faces smiling and beaming as they perform what they’ve been working on all year is a huge accomplishment as an instructor.”
“My first year teaching dance was in 2022,” said Spencer. “At that point, I only helped with the boys in the club, demonstrating technique and helping instruct their boys’ dance. Since then, I have been teaching alongside Amanda each week with the whole club.
“I think my favourite part about teaching dance is seeing how much the kids enjoy performing. It’s hard not to smile while standing backstage and watching them have so much fun and show off all their hard work.”
With the recent events that have stuck in Ukraine, it’s imperative to preserve the culture and representation of the country and its people. Ukrainian dance has traditionally had a strong representation throughout Manitoba and will continue well into the future.
“Just like anything, everything evolves and grows, dancers are performing at higher levels at younger ages,” said Bulycz. “They are accomplishing goals and achieving so much more than dancers before them, but the values behind Ukrainian dance have never changed. We are always learning more about Ukraine and the regions, costuming, steps, styles and more, but the true reason I believe we are all dancing is to share our culture with the world.
“It’s always been important to share Ukrainian culture, but with the war currently taking place, it’s our job to showcase how powerful Ukrainians are and performing any region of Ukrainian dance is one way of doing that. When we step on stage, we are not only representing our club, ourselves, or our instructors, but we are representing Ukraine and showing that we are not going anywhere.
“Ukrainian Dance has always been a huge part of Benito,” said Bulycz. “Vesselli has been around for over 40 years, and while yes we have had our enrolment decrease and increase many times over the years, we are happy to say we currently have 30 children in our club and we continue to grow every year. Not only does Benito have Vesselli for dancers 3 to 18 years of age, but we also have an adult class, Benito Shaker Misto Adult Dancers, which had ten adult dancers last year.
“Also, I have recently started up Liliya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble in Benito, which consists of dancers of all ages, many past or present dancers of Vesselli and Shaker Misto. I would say for a small community like Benito, the art of Ukrainian dance will continue for many years to come.

“The support all three groups receive is truly remarkable,” said Bulycz. “Although Vesselli has always performed at Benito’s Malanka event, 2024 was the first year Vesselli hosted Malanka. Shaker Misto and Liliya Ensemble joined Vesselli in performing for the sold-out crowd between the supper and the dance. The community came together to support Vesselli and also made donations to Ukraine with the Cobblestone Foundation. Vesselli will be hosting Malanka again in Benito on January 11, 2025.
“At Vesselli’s annual year-end concert, we filled the school gym, with many audience members standing as we ran out of room for chairs! I am proud to be from a community that continues to support our Ukrainian culture and dance groups.”
Both Bulycz and Spencer are eager to get into this season with all the new choreography and performances the students will have the chance to learn and embark upon.
“I’m excited to create brand new choreography for all my groups,” said Bulycz. “This is something that I feel is unique and I create new choreography every year for every group I instruct. Every dance I choreograph is made specifically for that group of dancers and is created based on their skills and goals. There is the odd time we will keep a dance or combination from the previous year, but often, I’m creating new choreography to keep all dancers challenged and learning.
“I will be starting practices with Shaker Misto Adult Dancers and Liliya Ensemble in October.
We will be preparing all three groups to perform at Vesselli’s Malanka event in January as well as preparing for competitions and our year-end concert in April and May.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone progress week after week,” said Spencer. “We have so many amazing dancers that love giving their all.”

Tyler Carr has found radio to be a medium in which he can connect with people in a powerful way. He attributes his inspiration to being a radio broadcaster to growing up in the Valley. He spent a lot of time listening to music on the radio and calling in requests, which led him to his passion for it. It allowed Carr to be himself and become an advocate by treating people with love and respect. He strives to see less bullying and more acceptance. Carr believes that people should be free to be themselves.
Carr felt like he was different, and that pushed him to venture off to Alberta alone and grow into himself. Unfortunately, at that time, his best friend, Matt Peters, was diagnosed with cancer for the second time.
“When I went to SAIT, I enrolled in a two-year program. It was a lot like high school but without the bullying because the class sizes were very small,” said Carr. “The radio program allowed students after their second year who got a job in the industry to be able to do things in the industry and submit them back for marks, and that’s how I did it. It was a positive experience, even though it was during the time when Matt passed away from cancer. All the teachers in the program and everyone really stepped up.
“It was scary for me to leave Swan River because that is where my family is. I lived with my aunt and uncle for the first year while all my friends stayed in Manitoba, so there were times when it felt a bit daunting. I was also beating myself up for leaving Manitoba at the time because Matt was fighting cancer, and I could have attended the University of Manitoba, been near him and visited him more. Even Matt was telling me he wanted to see me where I was and doing exactly what I was doing. A couple of my instructors made sure I was taken care of and kind of gave me that feeling of being home away from home.
“They even gave me some time to fly back and go and see him,” said Carr. “I’m sure glad they did because that was the last time I ever saw him.”
The loss of Matt made Carr question everything, and he contemplated giving up on what he had started until he attended a Lada Gaga concert. During the show, Carr had thrown a letter on stage and she read it out loud to the audience. The letter was about Matt passing and how hard it had been for Carr. This sparked a genuine interest for Lady Gaga to meet Carr after the show. This helped Carr to reconnect with his passion.
“When I got back into my second year, it was after Matt had passed, I had told everyone around me that I wasn’t going to continue with the program because I was in the heightened stage of my grief,” said Carr. “It didn’t seem like something I had wanted anymore and I felt like I lost my passion for it.
“I just spent the whole summer pouring my grief into this insane, creative way, and when I came back a second year, it was a completely different story for me. All my instructors helped me and walked me through it. They allowed me to have my emotions and found different outlets for me. They gave me everything I needed to redirect my emotions instead of just closing the world out.
“It went from a real struggle to something that I could actually feel like I was celebrating myself for,” said Carr. “Going to the concert, having that letter read, going back to SAIT and finishing the program has incredibly impacted me and continues to every day. It gave me the message I needed and the power of knowing what a person can do for someone. That is how I live every day of my life.”
Carr attended the SAIT alumni awards on September 26, with all of his family in attendance to celebrate his accomplishment.
“When SAIT had reached out to me about this, I was a little hesitant at first,” said Carr. “There was some hesitancy in me because I was thinking, what did I do that was so great; it was some imposter syndrome feeling. The closer we got to the day of the award, the more I felt that my message was that with any hardship in life, including grief, a person can still chase their dreams, and it can be in memory of a person who wasn’t able to chase theirs. I wanted Matt to chase his dreams more than anything in the world, but unfortunately, he can’t, so what better way for me to celebrate his life than for me to live what I am supposed to do. That is how I felt about it as it got closer and closer to me accepting this award.
“When it comes to this award in particular, it allows me to reflect on where I started and the people who taught me the things I needed to learn in this industry, then to be invited back with all your family, friends, and colleagues, is on a different calibre of celebration that I haven’t received yet. I’m humbled, grateful and honoured by it and hope to inspire others through it.”