Happy Mother’s Day
HodgePodge By Charlie Hodge
A very special happy Mother’s Day to moms throughout our community. As with most ‘senior’ adults our children are long gone from the nest or even the same town, however Tez’s son Arthur made her day special with an advance visit ‘home’ last week. The look of joy and surprise on her mug was priceless and well worth the journey by Art
A youthful looking, hard working, honest, kind and caring ‘kid’ Art is literally that son ‘everyone wishes they had’.
Bonus to his surprise visit was the accompaniment of Art’s boy and our grandchild Max. The bundle of age four (closing in on five) is a heart-stealer and a whirling dervish of energy and wide-eyed enthusiasm about the world around him.
Tez and Max had a wonderful time together and I’m not sure who made more noise with squeals of laughter and delight. Of course it never hurt that Max took a particular shine to moi as well.
In fact the only house members not thrilled with the bonus arrival of four-year-old energy ball Max were our four cats – who took no time attempting to disappear. Hide and seek was a new game to them and not one they seemed to particularly enjoy. It took six hours after Max left before the last one extracted himself from under the bed.
I am also thankful to Tez for her ‘Mother’ role. Her love for our pets and her above and beyond caring for me earn her ‘Mother’s Day’ accolades as well. No spouse or partner should have to actually add ‘mother’ ‘father’ or ‘care-giver’ to their identity tag, however my health has made that the case between us.
I cannot say enough how thankful I am for all that Tez does to help me, or make up for the many things I cannot do or struggle with doing. Tez has more than maintained the vows of ‘richer poorer, sickness and in health’. I am very thankful.
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Last Thursday marked a special night for many Mom’s or grandmas in Kelowna who watched their children or grandchildren earn accolades at the 47th annual Civic & Community Awards. After two years COVID-19 cancellation of ‘in person celebration’ a well attended event was held at the Laurel Packinghouse.
Here are the winners:
- Anita Tozer Memorial Award – Edna Terbasket
- Fred Macklin & Sarah Donalda-Treadgold Memorial Award (Citizen of the Year) – Lloyd Nelson
- Young Citizen of the Year Award – David Withler
- The Bob Giordano Memorial Award – Mike Sodaro (Coach/Sport Administrator of the Year) and the Bryan Couling Memorial Award – KSS Owls boys volleyball team (Athletic Team of the Year)
- Female Athlete of the Year – Malindi Elmore
- Male Athlete of the Year winner – Jerome Blake
- Augie Ciancone Memorial Award (Female) – Tatum Wade
- Augie Ciancone Memorial Award (Male) – Everett Schmuland and Nathan Loo.
- Teen Honour in the Arts Award – Dryden Bennett
- Honour in the Arts Award – Jennifer Money
- Volunteer Organization of the Year Award – CMHA Kelowna
- Corporate Community of the Year Award – Kelowna Toyota
- Champion for the Environment Award honours – Don Dobson
All Young Citizen of the Year finalists received funding towards their post-secondary education through the Payton and Dillon Budd Memorial Fund Youth Scholarship. In addition, the winner of the Teen Honour in the Arts award, Dryden Bennett, received a $500 entrance scholarship to UBC Okanagan, courtesy of the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies.
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Last but not least – how about those Leafs (written after opening game 5-0 victory over Tampa). Go Leafs Go!
It is with a salute of thanks that the hockey world bid farewell to two former superstars last week in Guy Lafleur and Mike Bossy. Ironically they were both stud right wingers for their teams and won multiple Stanley Cups.
I maintain Bossy was the most natural goal scorer of all time. Given time I believe young Mitch Marner may etch out a similar career as Bossy.
