Centennial celebrations start with a bang

It is already March and we’ve rung in the centennial year with the first annual Polar Bear Dip and the unveiling of the future home Penticton Centennial Plaza located in Okanagan Lake Park.

Penticton Centennial Plaza is a collaborative project that involves every aspect of our community in celebrating the past and present while creating a legacy for the future. The Penticton Centennial Plaza is designed to be a “grand entrance” to Okanagan Lake Park — the plaza would tie into the existing design elements incorporated from the park’s 2005 redesign. It will include four time capsules, centennial tree and a recognition wall on which our community will have the opportunity to purchase plaques to commemorate their businesses and families. The other very important aspect of the Penticton Plaza is the Centennial Legacy Fund. Monies raised from the Centennial Plaza will establish a permanent endowment managed by the Community Foundation that will provide annual bursaries and scholarships in perpetuity to students attending Penticton public secondary or post-secondary school. More information will be released in April with the plan to have the Penticton Centennial Plaza under construction in the latter part of 2008.

The first big event of the centennial year that originated around the Centennial Advisory Committee table was the South Okanagan Health Fair held Feb. 1 and 2. Led by Centennial Advisory Committee member Dr. Gerry Karr, it was a resounding success and there are plans for it to become an annual event. Great things are already coming out of our centennial year.

The next big event on our calendar is The Penticton Centennial Ball. This is the gala event of the centennial year. The Penticton Centennial Ball committee, chaired by Judi Ritcey, has been working hard to organize an evening you won’t forget. The gala begins with cocktails at 6 p.m. with music by Yvonne Wadden followed by a four-course plated dinner. Gillian Russell will perform the Celebration Centennial Song and dancing begins after dinner with the incredible music of Dal Richards and his orchestra. For more than seven decades, Dal Richards and his Orchestra have delighted Canadians with memorable dance music. He will be leading his orchestra of talented musicians in a blend of unique sounds that capture the best of the big band era, along with jazz, rock and pop standards from the 1930s to today. So put on your black tie or gown or dress in the theme of one of the 10 decades of our 100 years and don’t forget your dancing shoes because this is a night to celebrate. Tickets are $100 and you can reserve your table by calling the centennial office 490-2391.

n Karen Searle is the project co-ordinator for the Centennial Photo contest. Every month a winner will be chosen and featured on the website. Winners receive a Centennial CD and a mounted 18x24 enlargement of their photo courtesy of London Drugs. There are four categories to enter your photo. Photos of centennial events throughout 2008. Photos of centennial projects — eg. artwork, quilts, playgrounds etc. Photos of people celebrating. Photos of What Penticton Means to Me. Photos must be 4x6 and they can be black and white or colour. Just drop into the centennial office for details or visit our website . Congratulations to the January winner Andrew Brome and our February winner Win Duncan.

n Our Penticton Centennial Mascot is a star that represents our yearlong celebrations. The winning name, in the ‘Name The Mascot’ contest submitted by Lyn Arling was ETERNA which represents Penticton as a place to stay forever. ETERNA is available for your special events throughout the year. Please contact the centennial office regarding availability.

n For those Centenarians in our community who are celebrating their 100th (or more) birthday, you are invited to the Rotary Pioneer’s Tea on April 13. This is a tea to celebrate their longevity and secrets to living such a long life. Contact Ken Davis 493-2058 for more information.

The mayor and city council have proclaimed the Zinnia Sunshine Mix as the official centennial flower. As we move into spring and summer you will see the city’s parks, flower beds, hanging baskets featuring the Zinnia Sunshine Mix. Zinnias are one of the easiest annuals to grow and attract butterflies to the garden. They are outstanding in beds, borders and containers and are the perfect cut flower — the more you cut, the more you get. They thrive in the sun and heat of summer, and ask only well-drained soil. That makes them a perfect choice for our hot Penticton summers. The local growers, retailers and gardening clubs have been informed that the Zinnia Sunshine Mix is the official centennial flower, make sure you ask for them at your local grower so they will have plenty of stock for your garden for the summer.

n The Penticton centennial office is located at 888 Westminster Ave. West and is run by the very resourceful Andrina Iliffe. At the office you can purchase Centennial T-shirts, hats, pins, the Celebration CD, the coffee table book and tickets for the Centennial Ball. The office is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or you can call 490-2391 to find out more information on the celebrations throughout the year.

n In 1908 when Penticton was becoming a city the weekly grocery bill for a family of five was $3.48 and the average wage was $1.98 per day. Our prime minster was Sir Wilfrid Laurier — he is the fellow you see on the $5 bill. In the first couple of months of 1908, the University of British Columbia was founded, the Royal Canadian Mint opened, classical music was the popular choice of the day and for five cents you could go and see a silent movie.

Look for this column once a month and we’ll keep you up-to-date on all the exciting things coming this year. Please keep visiting our website where you will find the calendar of events and information .