July 2012

• Cover Story Picture Yourself at the Fair!
• VIV Cover Story Eyes, the Window to the Soul and a Healthy Sunless Glow!
• Celebrity - Roger Mckinnon By Judy Stephan
• Experience Duncan
• Letter from Hawaii By Theresa Silk

Cover Story

Picture Yourself at the Fair!

By Anne Middleton

August 2012 marks the 118th anniversary of the Vancouver Island Exhibition.

Such a celebration for such an age of this annual Island event and this year's theme: is "Picture Yourself at the Fair from Pioneer Days to Modern Ways".

You will find this Fair at Beban Park grounds this August (17th - 19th) offering something for everyone in the family.

As usual there will be a strong agricultural component complete with Barnyard Petting farm and exhibits. The Community Stage runs daily hosting many local musical talents leading up to the famous surprise attraction on the Main Stage on Saturday evening! (Check out VIEx events page!)

Shooting Star Amusement carnival will add just the right touches to this 3- day event!

The event grounds will be packed with exciting viewing stations:

• Old Fashioned Farming equipment to modern displays
• Tractor Club featuring antique Tractors and Tractor Time
• Precision Drill Team
• Yukon Dan gold panning demos
• Home Arts and Commercial Expo
• Remote Control Car Demos and Races
• 4- H Petting Farm

More fun that can be found anywhere can be found at our Beban Fair grounds this August. The hard-at-work VIEx board and team are still seeking volunteers to help orchestrate this grand affair - any 4 hour period of volunteerism will be greatly appreciated. Please contact the VIEx if you can give of your time. (250-758-3247)

While at the Fair, do take a stroll through the Community Gardens situated behind the barns and now boasting many lovely communal garden boxes: Grow your own in a leased box or help out with tending existing plots. A community way to cultivate, grow, dig and share in camaraderie and finally reap the harvest of flowers and veggies!

For more information call the VIEx office or check the website at www.viex.ca

Vancouver Island Voyager Cover Story

Eyes, the Window to the Soul and a Healthy Sunless Glow!

IN A CAFE WHILE SIPPING COFFEE, Jennifer spied Joanne and thought, "That could be my sister!"

This initial 'sighting' sparked a new friendship that fast became a business partnership as well. Both women, new to Nanaimo, were looking for a new, exciting business opportunity. Together they found it inside the doors of Club Sun Tanning Studios. This team brings a wealth of business and marketing savvy to the now expanded business. Club Sun now offers many 'sizzling hot', services!

As a member of the Joint Canadian Tanning Association (JCTA) and the International Smart Tan Network, Club Sun Nanaimo, is committed to educating the public about the need for Vitamin D and the credibility of indoor tanning facilities!

Regular, moderate ultra-violet exposure from sunshine or a sun-bed in a non-burning fashion can be part of a healthy, responsible lifestyle. To guide you through a healthy tanning process is their goal. These experts can help you determine how to tan safely according to your skin type, then how to protect yourself from potential overexposure, keeping your tan looking wonderful. Stop in to visit the team at Club Sun, meet proprietors, Jenn and Joanne, and learn how this comfortable salon can provide a luxurious and healthy tanning session.

Club Sun also offers spray tanning as an alternative to bulb tanning. These ladies are trained as master sprayers, and will contour your body for a more beautiful you! The spray tan includes a ph balancing body spray and a few minutes in the stand up tanning bed to set the spray tan. This salon also sells a variety of Hempz products and lotions to help maintain a soft and supple looking tan.

Now new to Club Sun, the latest in Eyelash Extensions - simple yet such added beauty to your eyes... The eyes are your most alluring assets!

Jenn and Joanne are certified by Enlightened Lashes and offer a variety of mink and synthetic silk lashes, with a variety of lengths to choose from. To learn more about enlightened lashes, please check the website for further details.

www.getsunkissed.ca

Club Sun also offers esthetician treatments such as lash tinting, manicures, pedicures, gel nails and pediques and the detoxifying and healing Infrared Sauna treatment!

Phone: 250-390-1235
Suite B3 - 6359 Hammond Bay Rd

Celebrity - Roger Mckinnon

By Judy Stephan

IT WAS A PLEASURE TO SIT DOWN AND CHAT with Roger Mckinnon about all his wonderful achievements on our Island. Born in Port Alberni, Roger has lived and worked on the Island all his life. After graduating with a business management and marketing diploma from Malaspina College in 1977, Roger soon became and an award-winning realtor with many Island projects as well as developments in Whistler, Colorado, Bear Mountain and Poets Cove, and was a Director of the BC Real Estate Board and President of VIREB. As a successful business owner, and more recently as an Owner/Partner in the hospitality industry as an operator of the award-winning Old House Village Hotel & Spa, he believes in giving back to the community, and has been the initiator and supporter of many charities and fundraising events. On top of his many business successes, he has spearheaded or chaired charities like BC Children's Hospital, Big Brothers, is Founding Member of the VIU Foundation, several Comox Valley organizations (like the Old House Mayor's Golf Tournament that has raised over $120,000 in 3 years), is a founding member of Oceanside Rotary, and the Alumni chapter for VIU/Malaspina College.

Roger is focussed on "getting things done" and has achieved great satisfaction from leading successful campaigns like the Jake Cody Celebrity Football Fundraiser and the Larry McNabb Tribute at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre (which was put together in a few days and which 1000 people attended). Even in the face of tragedy, Roger started the Blair Mckinnon Foundation in memory of his son, and hosts a Celebrity Flag Football Charity Game (which has raised $165,000 in 2 years). He is also a strong supporter of the Young Business Professionals, an organization which his son co-founded and which is now has chapters in several Island cities. Roger believes that life is too short, and he spends 50% of his time doing charity work and challenges other people to volunteer their time.

Roger believes Nanaimo has the potential to become one of the leading cities on the Island and that is why he ran for mayor in 2011. He uniquely combines drive, determination, a sterling business acumen, a generous soul and team spirit which would prove successful in leadership of our city.

With several huge development projects on which he and his partner are working, including Ocean View Golf Resort and the Nanaimo Conference Centre Hotel, Nanaimo Magazine wishes Roger Mckinnon every success for the future.

Experience Duncan

This year in its 33rd consecutive year, the Summer Festival encompasses the entire month of July with Duncan Daze taking place the weekend of July 13th & 14th.

This street party involves all ages, families and friends. Children's laughter mixes with the sound of a guitar, some drums and chit chat between friends. You want family fun? You got it!

Among the main entertainment, we have these scheduled events:

• Children's Parade - Friday
  5pm-6pm on Kenneth Street
• Grand Parade - Saturday
  July 14th 11am-12pm
  downtown Duncan

Other entertainment includes:

• Duncan's Got Talent in Charles Hoey Park,
• Insane Kane World Champion Street Bike Stuntman,
• Birds of Prey Flying demonstrations in Charles Hoey Park,
• Tattoo Pipers,
• Live music and dancing in the evenings at City Square

During the day there will be LOADS of FREE activities for all ages in the downtown core (Station, Kenneth, Craig and Jubilee Street) including:

• Street sales from downtown merchants
• El Paso Train Ride
• Merry-Go-Swing
• Children's Carnival Street on Jubilee Street
• Romper Room Climbing wall
• Dunk Tank
• Karaoke
• Spin the Wheel
• Minute to Win it, Two Grand prizes of an iPod Touch, Wii Games, Grand prize of an iPad 2

If you need to cool down stop at the lemonade man or the cafe for an iced latte. Also there will be water stations so bring your reusable water bottles.

When it's time to eat, there will be food everywhere you look, including our downtown restaurants and outdoor dining at the Brew Pub and Elks Beer Garden.

For dessert, no festival is complete without your choice of ice cream, cotton candy and snow cones.

For the entire month of July there's free live music in Charles Hoey Park and City Square provided by John Faulkner, owner of the nationally ranked Duncan Garage Showroom. So come to downtown Duncan and enjoy our little town.

For more information about Duncan Daze (July 13th & 14th) contact the Duncan BIA at www.downtownduncan.ca and for a full list of performers for Summer Festival visit: www.cowichanfestival.com.

A Letter from Kohala Coast

By Theresa Silk, Nanaimo

Dear Voyagers,

OUR ALOHA ADVENTURE began as we flew to the beautiful island of Oahu with a magnificent aerial view of the high rises of Waikiki, the crescent beaches bordering the azure and turquoise waters, and the mighty crater of Diamond Head. Everywhere was blue sky and green, lush tropical vegetation. A reprieve from our own paradise here in Nanaimo... as we were suffering the maladies of clouditis and rainitis. We could only imagine the warm 26° temperature outside... which was realized as we ventured onto an open air causeway with swaying palms, the scent of a multitude of exotic flowers and birds flying among the verdant vegetation - inside the airport terminal itself! We boarded our flight to the Big Island, viewing the crater once again, the islands of Molokai, Maui and reaching our destination, Kona Airport. We were greeted by the friendly convention staff and were immediately christened with flower leis and local nut necklaces. We had arrived in a gentle land where the Aloha spirit was everywhere! Our short ride from Kona Airport to the Fairmont Orchid Resort was indeed a moonscape. The hotel staff had advised us over the phone "Don't be shocked by the lava fields and moonscape.... you soon will arrive in paradise." And the resort did take our breath away. There was a fountain, marbled interior and orchids growing in every alcove. It was expansive, easily accommodating 900 delegates and other vacationers. With 32 acres, plenty of waterfront playground, pool, hot-tubs, waterfalls, spa, 5 restaurants, ballrooms, shops...words cannot express the beauty of this place. We were delighted with our lawn level suite, marble bathroom and own "Lanai" enabling us to watch the sunshine on the palms and other flora and fauna with hardly a passerby. We were 100 steps away from our own sandy beach, with some of the best snorkelling on the island!!

Every evening we witnessed the daily ritual of a local running with torch in hand to light the torches. He walked out on the lava rock to a point among the waves and blew his conch as the sun set. The sunsets were some of the prettiest in memory. It was our joy to swim in the expansive pool, ever so still and warm, later that evening, the only light being the May 5th full moon, the largest of the year...and the resort torches. The star-sprinkled sky completed that particular magical evening.

I ventured into the town of Kona. My driver was a wealth of knowledge and told me that in 1983 the Japanese saw the potential in the fabulous Kohala coast weather and bought up acres of lavarock property. Someone planted some palm trees, importing the soil, construction began on the mega resorts and golf courses, and it became the tropical playground for many Japanese businessmen. He pointed out the mile long lava tunnel from Kileua, the oldest and most active volcano on earth, last erupting and creating these lava flows in 1853.

The options for sea cruises, snorkelling adventures, deep sea fishing, watching the dolphins and migrating humpbacks , hikes among the waterfalls and cowboy country, exploring the volcanoes and black and green sand beaches await another trip, preferably sooner than later.

I was content settling into being a resort rat for our week there. The snorkelling in Pualo Bay was spectacular. I was one with the green turtles, especially when a particularly large one surfaced for air, and I witnessed the considerable head and beak, eyes looking into mine before it swam below again tearing up the coral for tasty bits of sea plankton. It is unlawful to touch or interact with these beautiful creatures and the entire experience was life changing. The tropical fish were spectacular and I saw every type there was - yellow tangs, needle fish, coral and anemones.

I was struck by the amazing plethora of colored birds, bright red, yellow, lime and blue. The huge yellow hibiscus blossoms and the birds of paradise flowers are so perfect. We enjoyed a couple's massage in the open air beachfront cabanas! A Swedish massage in the tropical breeze...paradise indeed! The hula dancers and fire throwers at the outdoor evening events were a bit of traditional Hawaii that capped off our Hawaiian experience.

On the way home, I purchased a stalk of the local fauna at Kona airport on the advice of a friend. The plumeria are especially durable for making the world renowned leis...the blossom is long lasting for this purpose. I plan to experience the tantalizing scent of a full blossom in our home, many miles from its native habitat.

The big island with its 11 micro climates has much to offer. Just select your own personal paradise. Mahola and Aloha! We are already thinking about our next trip to the islands.