VERNON – Some may view the North Okanagan as a fantastic vacation spot away from hustle and bustle of the major metropolitan centres but below the surface young entrepreneurs are getting creative and bringing their passion to life. That dynamic and energetic spirit was on clear display as Community Futures North Okanagan hosted the 2016 Enterprize Challenge.
The Chamber recently joined with Community Futures in staging the competition which started with fifteen entrepreneurs pitching ideas to a panel of judges. Through the judging process, seven did a final presentation, and the top three were chosen.
Matt Parks with Parks Sustainable Design Build was awarded third prize for his business that offers design and construction of high performance, sustainable, and energy efficient new homes and renovations. Second place went to Diane Kelm who developed an online directory for holistic practitioners. Top prize was given to Jaye Coward, owner of Farm Bound a small business that connects people with organic and local food, offering customers throughout BC organic produce, artisan cheeses & meats, as well as organic, dried and processed goods.
Farm Bound has partnered with local farms and producers to provide and deliver specialty boxes each week. As the grand prize winner, Jaye received business capital and business services worth over $17,000. A big “way to go” also goes out to Community Futures for coordinating the event which is expected to return next year.
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In other news, the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce was pleased to join other business leaders in Kelowna in late May for the BC Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting and Conference.
“We attended the event to ensure our local businesses’ views were understood and to help shape the BC Chamber’s business advocacy agenda,” says Tracy Cobb Reeves, president, Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce who was joined at the event by Chamber VP Dauna Kennedy Grant, Past President Jaron Chasca, and the Chamber’s GM Dan Rogers.
Each year member Chambers across B.C. develop and submit policies for the consideration at the AGM. If the policy is supported it will become official BC Chamber policy, and the BC Chamber will advocate it to the appropriate level of government. The Greater Vernon Chamber had joined with a number of other Chambers in calling on the Province to do what they can to help small wineries and cideries who face a large property tax hike if they expand their alcohol related production operations. The policy was one of fifty-five up for debate at the AGM. Information on the outcome of the convention and some of the policies that may impact businesses in the Okanagan will be detailed in next month’s column.
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The Greater Vernon Chamber along with a half dozen of its members took part in the annual Valley Wide Chamber Trade Expo. This year it was staged at the Cove Lakeshore Resort in West Kelowna and hosted by the Westside Board of Trade. The venue was fantastic and next year promises to be even bigger as Oliver/Osoyoos hosts the event. It draws nearly 100 different vendors from throughout the valley and crowds of close to 400. If you’re interested in reaching out across the valley and participating in the trade show in 2017 just give us a call.
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The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce was pleased to see the launch of a local fund raising campaign to raise much needed funds to pay for the development of the region`s Rail to Trail Initiative (www.okanaganrailtrail.ca) that will eventually see the abandoned rail line from Vernon to Kelowna converted into a multi use trail primarily for cyclists.
When completed it will be a global destination for tourists seeking a cycle tour along one of the most beautiful lakes in all of BC. Our Chamber has long supported this initiative because of the regional economic development opportunities that it presents. The Chamber appreciates that a lot of work and fund raising has yet to be done but we are happy to see the project moving forward.
An economic impact study competed for the Okanagan Rail Trail Initiative indicated that the proposed trail which would stretch from Kelowna to the north end of Kalamalka Lake along the old CN rail line would generate tens of millions of dollars every year in additional tourism spending in the Okanagan. The acquisition of the corridor was financed by local governments in the region in combination with funding from the province, and private organizations.
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And, finally, a big Chamber welcome goes out to our newest members including Family First Optometry, Crescent Falls Vet Hospital, Pinnacle Communication & Media Inc., BX Press, Let’s Go Transportation, and Spinners Sound Centre.
– Dan Rogers is the General Manager at the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce and can be reached at manager@vernonchamber.ca.