Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Podunk Below the Masthead (Monday, June 7, 2010)

The Salvation Army celebrates 100 years in Prince Rupert, Carbon trading at the Coast Hotel and TV 7 hops aboard the Cosco Malaysia at its Prince Rupert debut, some of the items of interest for the Monday edition.

Daily News, front page headline story
PRINCE RUPERT'S SALVATION ARMY TURNS 100 YEARS OLD -- The City of Prince Rupert isn't the only group celebrating a 100th birthday this year, the Salvation Army also is blowing out 100 candles, as they celebrate 100 years of their arrival in the north coast city.

The Coast Hotel is getting into the carbon trading business and guests can join in on the greenhouse offsetting by using their loyalty program to achieve a carbon neutral stay at the local hotel.    

Monday's paper also provides a look at the Victim services program in the community and how they inter act within the community.

The Sports section outlines the hockey travels of JT and Brock Ward as they continue on with their hockey careers in the Kootenay International Junior League, a look at that Seafest institution the arm wrestling tournament is also featured in Monday's edition.

(Daily News Archive Items for Monday, June 7, 2010)

Prince Rupert’s Salvation Army turns 100 years old 
Going green at the Coast 
Bill C-9 is a ‘kitchen-sinkful’
An invitation to butt - in on butting out 
A lesson in helping, not judging

The Northern View
(No new items posted to the Northern View website for Monday)

CFTK TV 7 News
Prince Rupert forced to tidy up -- The city's bylaw to regulate the maintenance of private and public property in the city was passed at the Monday night council session (see article here)

CFTK TV 7 News 
Recycling hours trimmed down-- Reductions in hours at the Recycling Centre will come into effect in October as the Centre attempts to trim some 24000 dollars off of its budget (see article here)

CFTK TV 7 News
Gwaii Haanas Marine Protection Coming -- NDP MP Nathan Cullen is hopeful that the bid to provide a Marine conservation area around the southern Haida Gwaii waters will soon be fast tracked (see article here)

CFTK TV 7 News
Cosco Malaysia -- The arrival of the Cosco Malaysia container ship is featured in Sahar Nassimdoost's video report for TV 7 News (see video report here)

CFTK TV 7 News
Post Traumatic Stress Tour-- Gerald Kiesman, will bring his Post Traumatic Stress awareness tour of British Columbia through Prince Rupert later this month as he commences his journey from Haida Gwaii, destined for Vancouver and then Vancouver Island (see article here)

CBC News Northern BC, Daybreak North
Daybreak North is only posting selected items on their website now. 

The most recently posted items can be found on the archive page for Daybreak North click here

Daily News, front page, headline story
Prince Rupert’s Salvation Army turns 100 years old
By Monica Lamb-Yorski
Staff Writer
Prince Rupert Daily News
Monday, June 7, 2010


Coinciding with the centennial of Prince Rupert as an incorporated city is the hundredth year of the town’s Salvation Army.

Captains Gary and Nancy Sheils of the local army decided it would be ideal to throw a celebration during Seafest weekend.

 “We thought if people want to travel here from out of town it’s an ideal time for them to see what the area has to offer. We wanted to have a parade and realized being part of the Seafest Parade would give us more exposure. Everyone loves a parade,” said Nancy.

The public is invited to participate in all of the weekend events and tickets are available at the citadel, said Nancy.

 A highlight for the Sheils is the fact that commissioners Donald and Joyce Kerr will be attending over the weekend. Doug’s parents were stationed in Prince Rupert as part of the Salvation Army in years past.

 “They are fairly well known in the Army world,” said Gary.

 Friday’s roster includes a luncheon at the citadel, a banquet dinner, a 7 p.m. service led by Commissioner Donald Kerr, and followed by a Glory Garden.

 “You know how there are Beer Gardens,” explained Gary. “Well this would be outside, weather permitting, with Christian entertainment from the Baptist and Anglican churches. It will be an outdoor cafĂ© with coffee, tea and juice. We are going to hold it both Friday and Saturday evenings at 9 p.m.”

 If the gardens prove to be successful, the Sheils are hoping they can become a regular event during the summer. 

“The army used to do open airs on the corner and bands would stand and play. We run into many people that remember those fondly,” Nancy added.

Saturday there will be a pancake breakfast, beginning at 8:30 a.m., the parade and a service at 7 p.m., conducted by Commissioner Joyce Kerr.

On Sunday morning there will be breakfast at sea aboard the Inside Passage.

 “We’ll have a two-hour tour of the harbour and a chance to feed the eagles. It’s an awesome sight to see if you haven’t and worth the trip,” said Nancy.

Augmenting the celebration is a booklet containing collective memories of each generation that Nancy has been compiling.

One contributor is Einar Carlson who was born on October 10, 1929 and dedicated to the Salvation Army on the same day.

 “He’s been a member all these years,” commented Nancy.

 A 14-year-old teenaged boy has written about his impressions and a five-year-old drew a picture.

“For each generation, we had people speak out. We alternated long term and more recent so we’d have a variety of opinions,” said Nancy.

 There’s also a memory lane section featuring anecdotes from officers stationed in Prince Rupert in the past and another section titled, Witness of Faith.

One hundred copies of the booklet are being produced.

In addition to the Kerrs, confirmed guests for the banquet include the Mayor of Port Edward Dave MacDonald, North Coast MLA Gary Coons, Major Malcolm Cameron Area Commander for Northern B.C., and Divisional Commander Susan Van Daienen.

 “Hereditary Chief Alex Campbell will be giving a Tsimshian welcome, there’ll be First Nation drummers and dancers and singers from the Nisga’a Hall and Hartley Bay Gospel Singers,” Gary added.

Invites have gone all the way to Alaska and across the province and people have accepted from Fernie, Vancouver, Chilliwack and Ontario.

As far as the Salvation Army in Prince Rupert goes, the Sheils have outlived the stays of their predecessors by 200 percent.

In July, they will enter their ninth year of service. Normally people stay four years maximum.

Gary said they were asked to stay and have because they enjoy the work. 

“Our hearts are here,” suggested Nancy.

Pausing, Garry elaborated.

 “Frankly, the corps needed a long stay, so did the community. It was probably five years before there was a level of trust. Five years before we felt we had a good level and just as long before we saw some results. The stability has been good for the corps, the church and the town.”

Nancy agreed, adding that Prince Rupert and the Salvation Army have gone through a great transition and the stability has been important.

When asked about the future, Gary said it would love to be here to see the town turn the corner financially.

He also hopes the church will continue with good growth.

“Our programs in the last year have grown. We’ve got people working through residential school experiences and addictions to find healing. They have been positive experiences and we hope to build and expand to touch more people,” Nancy commented.

The Sheils would also like to see the dream of supportive and transitional housing realized.

Posing for photograph outside the citadel and holding up a painting of the first citadel that opened its doors one hundred years ago, Gary smiled. Apparently the old building could hold 300 people. “They must have stacked them four high,” he said.

Hopeful that the community will come out to help them celebrate, Gary said turning a hundred is a big deal.

 “It’s cool we’re celebrating at the same time as Prince Rupert,” he added.

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