Now we are into our third calendar year of this, (waving my hand about in a vague manner) and there are fewer and fewer activities to occupy our time, I have found it increasingly difficult to find subjects to share with you, my loyal readers. Stories of my family are fun and all, but most of them are not rated G. But there was a time when my dad and uncle were driving back to Toronto from northern Ontario – long drive, even by Canadian standards. Famished and tired they happened upon a gas station and my uncle went inside to find something to stave off the hunger. At the counter he found what he assumed was some type of cake, paid for it and promptly tossed it in his mouth, to the horror of the cashier. It was fire-starter.
I have come up with an idea I stole from the Colbert Report, and I call it “Better Know the Gumboot Nation.” Over the next weeks I will delve into some of the things that hold this community together, and the people behind those things. I will be contacting folks about their work/live arrangements and sharing this information for the benefit of Creekers, new and lifers alike, as well as the general Sunshine Coast. (I am told people from as far away as Halfmoon Bay read this column!)
In order to have some real insight into what goes on below the surface of our community, I call upon my neighbours to suggest people, places, or things for me to explore and to submit your own stories. I will be organizing the columns, week by week, along some of the following subjects;
Farms and farm stands, if you grow and sell food, let me know about it, how you got started, what drives you and of course, where can we get your product.
I want to spend a week highlighting something close to my heart, musicians, and will be chatting up Paul at Melomania as well.
Crafters abound in the Creek, and it will be easy to fill 500 words on what they are doing to add to the local flavour. That one may need to be in two parts.
The real glue that sticks this place together is the volunteer groups that abound here. I will be touching on the work of the RCCA, the One Straw Society and the Fire Hall, but I want to know about your group, or a group of volies that have changed your life for the better.
At one point I will take you on a tour of our “downtown”, The Heart of the Creek, as well as attempting to discover other shops in our community, Sharkey’s and Jeans organic foods come to mind, I am sure there are others.
I would also like to share some of the services available to us, the Post Office, various daycare/preschool and after school opportunities open to our youngsters, house cleaners etc. If you offer a service in the Creek, please drop me an email.
