As we approach Remembrance Day, we wanted to write to thank Whistler for its generous contributions to the Walter Zebrowski Memorial Rotary Scholarship Fund.
Given your generosity this year, we were able to award two $1,000 scholarships to two outstanding graduates from Whistler Secondary School, Jade Quinn-McDonald and David Mehta.
I am proud to say that since 1997, 25 scholarships have been awarded.
I myself watched the graduation [ceremony] via Zoom.
I was very moved to witness the energy and enthusiasm of the graduating class. The Rotary Club of Whistler hosted interviews with both scholarship recipients. I felt proud that the scholarship could help to support the dreams of these two worthy young students as they enter university.
Walter himself would be proud. He was always optimistic and always believed in giving back.
2020 has been a strange year to say the least. A year full of challenges and sacrifices.
We can only hope that there will be a vaccine soon and that this moment of “pause” will be over.
I think after such a year we value the spirit of community even more.
The Walter Zebrowski Scholarship is our way of remaining optimistic about the future.
Doug Forseth and I are grateful for your support and for the support and leadership the Rotary Club of Whistler has demonstrated in its involvement with this annual scholarship award.
We join with them to thank you again for your continued enthusiasm and generosity. We look forward to remaining in touch.
Thank you for celebrating Walter and his commitment to the community of Whistler.
Ewa Zebrowski and Doug Forseth // Walter Zebrowski Memorial Rotary Scholarship Fund
Lay wreath to show veterans we remember
Due to COVID-19, the Pemberton Remembrance Day Service will look a little different this year.
We will not be able to hold an outside service at our Cenotaph, as the public is discouraged from attending in person. [So] we are encouraging everyone to participate virtually by watching our live feed from home. Details will be posted soon on our Facebook page.
Since there are no spectators this year, we asked the public to help us fill the space around the Cenotaph with wreaths. The wreaths will act as a visual symbol that Canadians are still thinking of our veterans and remembering their countless sacrifices. All proceeds will go towards the Legion Poppy Fund in support of Canada’s veterans and their families.
You and your family or business can be part of this visual representation that honours Canada’s Veterans, 75 years after the end of the Second World War.
If you would like to make a donation, please contact: [email protected].
Lesley Clark // Branch President, Royal Canadian Legion—Pemberton Branch 201
A waste of taxpayers’ dollars
(Editor’s note: This letter was sent to mayor and council and shared with Pique.)
Gentrification is the process of changing the character of the neighbourhood through the influx of more affluent residents, spilling over from neighbouring cities, towns or neighbourhoods.
Whistler has been a strong advocate through MAC [Mature Action Community] of aging in place. Having spent almost 50 years as a resident homeowner in White Gold, I find the present attempt to gentrify the neighbourhood by relocating the present BC Hydro lines underground repugnant.
Why?
The costs of supplying underground electricity is approximately three times that of overhead power lines. Both of which are subject to their own frailties.
The inequality of supplying underground electricity to an old, established neighbourhood can be disproportionate. Older homes are already connected to the grid. Major prohibitive costs can be incurred to bring the already existing transmission of electricity underground from the street to the house.
Over the years of my residing in White Gold, many of our power outages originated upstream of our subdivision. Underground or not, the same failures would occur.
My suggestions:
• Repave the road if it “really” is necessary to do so;
• Keep the poles in place and save millions of taxpayer dollars;
• In case of power failure, as we have done over the years, call BC Hydro.
The under-grounding of the transmission of power in White Gold bears too high a price for the proposed cosmetic upgrade.
Tom Thomson // Whistler
Magic relationship ratio important in workplace
Have you heard of the magic relationship ratio? It states that you need five positive interactions in a relationship to outweigh one negative interaction. Although it usually comes up in the context of interpersonal relationships, I’ve recently been thinking of it in the context of working with the public.
Those of us working customer-facing roles have good days and bad days just like anybody else. We have family members we worry about. We have uncertainty about our jobs and the future. And this year, each workday is particularly unpredictable as we get pushback from customers on mask-wearing, temperature-checking, building capacity, and various other new health protocols.
To be clear, the majority of customers are respectful and appreciative of the efforts that are being made to safeguard the health of staff and customers. Going back to the magic relationship ratio, however, I would say the effect of negative interactions is amplified more than ever in a time of COVID. These days, any time a customer brings negative energy into a workspace, it seems to affect every staff member, and resonate throughout the rest of the day. Not to mention, in a personal relationship, we have agency to push back against negativity, whereas at work we must do our best to simply keep calm and carry on. I would say the magic relationship ratio at work is more like 10:1.
Therefore, I ask you to remember that the person behind the mask is also human, and we’re all doing the best we can to manage this challenging year. Next time you leave your house, please try to think about how you can be that positive interaction that helps tip the scale in the right direction.
Alissa Powell // Whistler
Halloween (mostly) a safe success
I wanted to take the time to thank our inspiring community for adapting to the newest orders regarding COVID-19, specifically on Halloween.
It was truly remarkable to see how folks found creative and safe ways to provide joy and create a memorable Halloween, for both children and adults alike.
People’s willingness to stay in their own neighbourhoods and the many creative solutions to safely bless our children with sweet treats and to provide a little fun despite the pandemic, (including distanced candy shoots using tubing, fairy/gnome forest walks and even a haunted forest ending with pre-ordered pizzas) reminds me how grateful I am to live in such a compassionate, respectful and creative community!
Although I’m not a fan of clichés, “we are only as strong as our weakest link,” seems relevant regarding those few parents of high-school children, that in spite of communication from [provincial health officer] Dr. [Bonnie] Henry, our mayor, the high-school leadership, and in some cases, personal phone calls from concerned parents, chose to host Halloween parties, providing beverages for attendees, and creating exactly the unsafe conditions that we know have been responsible for the recent and alarming rise of COVID cases in our province.
It’s my hope that as we move towards the most dangerous several months of the pandemic, we all make decisions that continue to demonstrate our respect for each other. I also want to remind everyone that although you may know them, there are many vulnerable members of our community, for whom this pandemic causes an added layer of stress and anxiety.
Right now, we have wonderful an opportunity to let our friends and neighbours know we do respect and care about them by making the necessary personal changes and sacrifices, that I know are uncomfortable, to ensure we do everything possible to prevent further spread of this virus, and also hopefully prevent any further restrictions that could impact all of us.
It’s much easier to wear a mask and reduce your social circles to a “safe six” than endure more possible restrictions and further negative economic impact.
The way the majority of our community came together on Halloween, gives me hope that we will continue to work together and find creative ways to continue to inspire joy and laughter, and get through these next new few months safely and together.
Be well.
Heidi Groot // Whistler
