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Date: Oct 23, 2009

Entry: The past season at the Memorial Park Pool exceeded expectations and the recreation commission is buoyant about it. Public swimming was very popular, as were Aquafit and Lane Swims. The introduction of healthy food choices at the concession also proved to be a positive move and appealed everyone. An increase in the number of those participating in the Spring session of swim lessons was noted and several suggestions have been made for the 2010 session. Pool staff has recommended the addition of special events for the 2010 season, including a midnight madness teen event and a 'Dive-In' movie as has been done in the past. The Armstrong Swim Club, in it's 3rd season, also proved to be a popular group. Overall, a great season - and it is expected that 2010, with the new pool, will prove even more sucessful!

Recreation Commission Buoyant about 2009 Pool Season

Date: Oct 23, 2009

Entry: The Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department recently chose two 'Fire Chiefs for the Day', one each from Highland Park Elementary and Armstrong Elementary School. The two lucky students had the honor of being 'Chief for the Day' as part of the local department's annual school program which marks National Fire Prevention Week. The students were picked up at their school by a fire engine, taken out for lunch and then returned to school.

Date: Oct 23, 2009

Entry: The Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department recently chose two 'Fire Chiefs for the Day', one each from Highland Park Elementary and Armstrong Elementary School. The two lucky students had the honor of...more

Date: Oct 23, 2009

Entry: A new program in Armstrong is working to make the community safer. Warren Smith, rural programs coordinator for the North Okanagan Safe Communities Unit provides assistance, education and information on a variety of issues including crime prevention. City of Armstrong Council helped assess issues, community members voiced their concerns and beliefs, while the RCMP helped outline programs that may benefit the community. Armstrong does not have any major crime issuess, but concerns such as home and business security; traffic related issues such as speeding, traffic incidents and impaired driving; seniors safety and engaging local youth are noted priorities. A concerted effort is also in place to assist the Armstrong Citizens on Patrol group in finding new volunteers and implementing a Speed Watch program.

Date: Oct 23, 2009

Entry: A new program in Armstrong is working to make the community safer. Warren Smith, rural programs coordinator for the North Okanagan Safe Communities Unit provides assistance, education and information on...more

Date: Oct 23, 2009

Entry: Armstrong's desire for a dog park is being assessed. Local resident Mary Bailey is circulating a petition for those who support the creation of an enclosed dog park in Armstrong. Mary is a member of the Active Transportation Commitee and believes a dog park would complement the committee's parameters. Mrs.Bailey has done research into other dog parks and enquired about possible sites within the city in her effort to help develop a park in this community. The ideal park would be fenced with trees and garbage receptacles. Mrs.Bailey said the community has been overwhelmingly positive and in favour of a dog park.

Date: Oct 23, 2009

Entry: Armstrong's desire for a dog park is being assessed. Local resident Mary Bailey is circulating a petition for those who support the creation of an enclosed dog park in Armstrong. Mary is a member of the...more

Date: Oct 22, 2009

Entry: This year I represented the Armstrong Shamrocks at Armstrong Elementary School teaching every class throughout the two days to play interlacrosse.
Kindergarten students to Grade 5 students all participated in a 45 minute class that involved teaching the students a little history of the game from its roots as a traditional First Nations game to Canada's national summer sport, the history of lacrosse in Armstrong then some of the rules and basic skills.
We then split the kids into 4 teams and did some skill drills and followed that with a 30 minute game.
We had a blast and the kids really enjoyed playing.

Teaching InterLacrosse at Armstrong Elementary School

Date: Oct 22, 2009

Entry: The Armstrong Shamrocks hosted the 2009 Senior C Provincial Lacrosse Championships this season. We defeated the defending champions, Kelowna Raiders, 11-10 in an incredibly intense match on Saturday night in front of a packed arena.

Rocks Strike Silver

Head coach Rick Mang put a metal MGD beer bucket on Nick Thomas’ head. Teammates sprayed Thomas with Champagne as they embraced one another in the tiny visitor’s dressing room Sunday.

Such was the celebration scene for the Port Moody Express after grounding the Armstrong Shamrocks 11-8 in the B.C. Senior C Lacrosse Championships final before 350 fans at Nor-Val Sports Centre.

Port Moody claimed the Fred Doig Cup for the third time in six years, going 3-0 in a tournament reduced to three teams when Prince George was a late cancellation.

“This is redemption from last year by getting beat by Kelowna, in Kelowna,” said Port Moody veteran Jeff Dutkewich, a 27-year-old corrections officer. “Armstrong put up a hell of a fight. They’re a great team and we have a lot of respect for them. It was a great tournament put on by the Armstrong Shamrocks and we’re just happy in celebration mode. It’s gonna to be a great drive home.”

Sean O’Leary pulled the hat-trick for the Express (who also call themselves the Skull Trains), while Chris Cowieson and Josh Wear each scored twice. Ed Gosse, with 1+5, Chris Roberts, with 1+3, Andrew Polkingthorne and Matt Augustine completed the Express attack.

Thomas, who received the MGD bucket as Mang’s choice for tourney MVP, supplied three assists. Thomas led the West Central League champs in scoring with 2-7-9. Both Wear and Cowieson finished with five goals.

“Effort, hard work, goaltending – both goalies were strong,” said Dutkewich. “(Shamrocks’) Chad Pieper was unreal, tournament MVP, but in the end we just got more goals than them, and that’s how you win lacrosse games.”

The Shamrocks, led by rookie Braydon Sanders and former CFL linebacker Devin (Big Country) Rodger, tossed some monster checks, but the Express dropped, rolled and rose to their feet.

“Our Achilles heel is retaliation,” said Dutkewich. “If we retaliate and take penalties, we can’t win. Five-on-five, no one can beat us. It’s been a proven test in our league to now this league. We’ve got a lot of studs on this team. Top-cheese omelettes pre-game meals at Gino’s Cafe and drinking MGD’s. MGD has been a huge sponsor for us this year. Skull Trains unite, and we won a championship, and we’re on Cloud Nine.”

The Express outshot the ‘Rocks 59-45, scoring twice in the final three minutes to stop the hard-charging Irish.

“The key to the game was everybody showed up ready to bury it,” said O’Leary, a 24-year-old welder who pulled the hat-trick to take Okanagan Spring Brewery game MVP.

“We buried it shelf, we buried it low cheese, we buried it top cheese. We played Skull Trains lacrosse. Everybody contributed, everybody tallied. Armstrong really picked up their game, and it was nice to come and have some good competition and a good tournament. We’re well coached by Rick Mang so when they played a zone, we adapted our strategies to that, and it made it easier to tally.”

Chris Cowieson and Josh Wear each scored twice. Ed Gosse, with 1+5, Chris Roberts, with 1+3, Andrew Polkingthorne and Matt Augustine completed the Express attack.

Brett Logan was game MVP for the ‘Rocks, scoring three times to give him seven for the tourney. Logan Strohm added a pair to lead Armstrong with 5-5-10 in four games, while Tanner Skolrood, Nathan Strohm and Stu Williamson also scored.

“We definitely stepped it up for the provincials,” said Shamrock captain Chad Pounder, 33. “Everyone was pulling on the same rope the same way and we played them hard, and they respected us for that. They ran a fastbreak in the second period right off their bench and they capitalized on it. We were a little bit tired. We were getting the first guy back, but not the second and third.”

The silver medal was especially sweet for the Irish since they knocked out the two-time defending champion Kelowna Raiders with a thrilling comeback 11-10 semifinal victory before a packed arena Saturday night.

Logan provided the hat-trick, while Logan Strohm, Shaun Strohm and Andrew Hamilton each scored twice, and singles went to Kevan Bigsby and captain Chad Pounder.

“That was a lot of fun last night,” said Pieper, 33, who split duties with Owen Siddall against the Okanagan champion Raiders. “They had a tough schedule yesterday and we knew they had a tough schedule, but it was our third game in 24 hours and it was theirs in about 12 hours. It was two tired teams going out there and we had a bit more in the tank and pulled it off.”

Geoff Wray, Ryan Spring, Kyle Tomiye and Dave Bannister each pocketed a pair for Kelowna, who were playing their third game of the day.

The Raiders slammed Armstrong 9-3 in the morning and then fell 13-6 to Port Moody in a matinee.

Shamrocks Strike Silver at Provincials

Date: Oct 22, 2009

Entry: In an ongoing attempt to promote the "official" sport of Armstrong - lacrosse, the Armstrong Shamrocks are hosting winter drop in lacrosse at the dry floor facility at the Hassen Arena.
This non-contact recreational form of lacrosse is a great opportunity to players 16 yrs and older to try playing the game and it gives skilled players the chance to maintain their skills throughout the winter months.
The game is played with stick, gloves and helmets with facemasks only. No contact is permitted and dangerous shots are penalized.
With three nights of drop in lacrosse already completed we have seen our attendance nearly triple to close to 40 registered players.
Great fun all winter long playing the great game of lacrosse.

Armstrong Shamrocks Sponsor Drop in Lacrosse

Date: Oct 22, 2009

Entry:
The Armstrong Shamrocks booked another spot in their trophy case for the Royal Challenge Cup with an 8-6 victory over the Vernon Royals in front of about 300 fans Friday night at Civic Arena.

This was the 10th annual version of the Royal Challenge Cup, a fan- favourite event that honors the long-standing rivalry between the Shamrocks and the Vernon lacrosse club. The Irish have won the trophy six times.

Armstrong opened the scoring in the first period when Shaun Strohm used his gazelle-like stride around a pick on the left side and buried a shot into the top left corner. The Royals answerd shortly after when Mitch Schochter (8th goal of the season) lasered an outside shot over Chad Pieper’s shoulder.

The Rocks took a 2-1 lead on a pretty one timer from Ian Gowland but the Royals’ Tom Conner (7th) answered back with a screen shot on Pieper.

With the Royals’ Dave Latimer in the box for slashing, Dan Giger of the Shamrocks notched his first of two (has three for the year) on the night on the power play with a low bounce shot to take a 3-2 lead but the Royals potted three unanswered goals, two by Conner and another by Schochter to lead after the first period 5-3.

“We were giving them too many easy outside shots without challenging the ball carrier and they were shooting well around screens on Pieper so we needed to make some adjustments on defence after the first” said Shamrocks GM/coach Ryan Nitchie.

“We went to a zone defense system with a lot more aggression on the ball carrier in the second and it really worked well.”

In the second period, the Shamrocks’ defence was stellar with Pieper stepping up between the pipes to make several key saves. The Shamrocks shut out the Royals in the second which seemed to demoralize the boys in blue.

Meanwhile, the Rocks’ Brett Heitman swallowed up a juicy rebound and used his hefty svelt strength to power his way down the floor and bury a breakaway opportunity over the right shoulder of Royals’ netminder Glen Clissold. Heitman has five goals this season.

The Shamrocks’ Brett Logan used his patented gumby pinball style to grab a loose ball in front of the net and rip a shot past Clissold to tie the game 5-5 after two. It was Logan’s sixth of the year.

The Shamrocks continued to dominate defensively in the third period and potted three goals of their own. Heitman notched his second of the night followed shortly after by a behind-the-net goal from junior phenom Logan Strohm, who carried the ball behind the Vernon net and noticing Clissold wasn’t hugging the crossbar, proceeded to bank a shot off Clissold’s belly pad into the net for a 7-5 lead.

Giger ripped his second of the night on some pretty passing to make it 8-5 lead. The Rocks took a few penalties later in the third period but their short man teams were exceptional as they killed off three straight powerplay chances.

Royals’ captain Kirk Krause scored his second of the season with 30 seconds remaining.

After the trophy presentation from Royal Volkswagen, the Shamrocks (4-6) carried the trophy to their jubilant and faithful fans who proudly cheered as many got to hold the trophy before returning it to the players.

“I was really proud of the way we played tonight,” said Nitchie. “ Once we made the adjustments on defense we found our groove offensively and really earned the win tonight. I was really pleased with the team effort tonight, all three lines contributed to the scoring and our special teams played well. We have to thank the support of Royal Volkswagen for 10 years of sponsoring this fan-favourite event”

The Shamrocks now take a one-week layoff as a few of the players and coaches head to the Canadian Masters Lacrosse Championships in Duncan starting Friday. The Shamrocks will take on the league leading Kelowna Raiders at home on Friday, July 10 (7:30 at the Nor-Val Centre).

The Royals (2-8) visit the second-place Kamloops Rattlers next Friday at Memorial Arena.

Shamrocks win Royal Cup

Date: Oct 22, 2009

Entry: The Armstrong Shamrocks hosted the Annual Ice Breaker lacrosse tournament in April which saw 4 adult teams from the Okanagan including the Shamrocks, Kamloops Rattlers, Vernon Royals and Kelowna Raiders. Also attending this year was the BX Pub Bandits from Prince George and the Port Moody Express from the Lower Mainland.
This fun tournament encourages teams to work on their skills in preparation for their respective regular season kick off.
The tournament was a huge success again this year and the team expects to have 8 teams for the tournament in 2010.
That tournament will run in late March early April 2010

Shamrocks Host Ice Breaker Tournament

Date: Oct 22, 2009

Entry: Armstrong has been hosting the Funtastic Slo-Pitch Co-ed Ball Tournament for 20 years now. It started with 24 teams and has grown to 40 teams from around BC and Alberta with a good portion of the teams from Abbotsford, BC. Approximately 600 people crowd Armstrong during the July 1st long weekend to have fun and play ball! You are sure to get a good laugh if you come to watch the costume division play a game.

Funtastic 2009

Date: Oct 22, 2009

Entry: The Pleasant Valley Saints hoist the Township Cup after beating the A.L.Fortune Falcons on a rainy afternoon Friday October 16th at the Enderby school. The Township Cup is awrded to the team that wins an annual challenge match. Pleasant Valley Secondary School has won it three of the past four years. Congratulations Saints!!

Township Cup!

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Armstrong's reigning Pumpkin Launch kings are ready to take on all challengers. Jong Gardens returns to defend their Great Pumpkin Launch title at the 9th Annual Harvest Pumpkin Festival Saturday October 24th. All types of launching devices - from crude wood contraptions to sophisticated machines of vegetable warfare - will be put to the test at the fairgrounds. Spectators will watch the orange projectiles launch, then smash into pieces as they try to hit the bull's eye or beat the distance record. Launching begins at 1:00pm. Competition is fierce between the AS Fire Department, Jong Gardens and other local businesses. Youth entries range from the Pumpkinators, a homeschool group from Kelowna to students from the local High School. Returning this year to defend their Adult/Youth title is the RCMP/DARE Youth team going up against the newly formed Armstrong Scout team. This event is also a family affair - the Smithsonian Pumpkin Tossers are coming from Kamloops to celebrate Grandpa's 70th Birthday by throwing pumpkins. Simple rules - human powered only. And new this year - a demonstration category - Pumpkin Cannons - with both the Fire Department and an underdog team sponsored by a top-secret business vying for a win. Join us - and watch for flying pumpkins!

Pumpkins Ready to Launch

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Need to relax? Interested in sharing, learning and meeting new people? Consider joining the Armstrong Knitting Circle! Bring you project - needles and yarn - or just yourself! Members are very generous with their time and have donated dozens of blankets to charitable organizations throughout the valley. ‘Kilometers of Caring’ is what they fondly refer to their hand made blankets as each is made up of forty-eight, eight-inch squares and uses almost two kilometers of yarn, and of course an abundance of love. Each blanket is a unique tapestry of colors and geometric patterns and designed to brighten someone's day. The Knitting Circle would like to take this opportunity to thank the many individuals across British Columbia who responded to our project and generously donated squares and yarn. Thank you very much - they look forward to meeting you some day.

Knitting Circle

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Armstrong hosts the 28th annual Okanagan 4-H Stock Show this week at the IPE fairgrounds. seventy-eight members from eight central B.C. 4-H clubs will participate in the event. The 4-H action starts Wednesday with marked steer judging followed by the showing and fitting competition where members will demonstrate how well they have learned to present their animals. Wednesday afternoon features the start of the stall competition, which continues Thursday an winds up Friday. The champion homegrown steer event kicks things off Thursday morning. Champion judging continues all day, with the top fed calf and champion steer of show selected in the morning. The show culminates with the 4-H steer sale where people can support 4-h members and pick up some quality beef. The Stock Show also includes 120 4-H horse club members from Central B.C.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Armstrong hosts the 28th annual Okanagan 4-H Stock Show this week at the IPE fairgrounds. seventy-eight members from eight central B.C. 4-H clubs will participate in the event. The 4-H action starts...more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Food Film Fridays run until Aug. 28 and are sponsored by the Armstrong Community Food Initiative and the Food Action society of the North Okanagan. This weeks film, The Food Flight, takes a look at the development of our current food system. Admission is by donation, bring chairs, friends and snacks.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Food Film Fridays run until Aug. 28 and are sponsored by the Armstrong Community Food Initiative and the Food Action society of the North Okanagan. This weeks film, The Food Flight, takes a look at the...more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Over 200 people attended the Kingfisher Interpretive centre's thanksgiving Egg Take on the Shuswap River. Many Albertans made the trip to participate in the conservation effort. About 85,000 fertilized eggs are now being housed at the centre hatchery. Recent helicopter counts on the Shuswap river indicate about 20,000 salmon in the river presently and with fish still coming into the river system, it looks like numbers are good this year.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Over 200 people attended the Kingfisher Interpretive centre's thanksgiving Egg Take on the Shuswap River. Many Albertans made the trip to participate in the conservation effort. About 85,000 fertilized...more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Armstrong residents are invited to learn more about active transportation next week. An Open House Oct. 19 features lots of information on the project to develop an active transportation plan in Armstrong. The Project Planner introduced the project with a display at the library in August. She organized Monday's open house to bring people up to date on the project and get feed back. The drop-in event includes a display explaining to importance and benefits of active transportation. The project includes updating Armstrong's greenway plan so input on the local trails system is being sought. People can also talk to city officials about ways to improve safety and increase use of active transportation in Armstrong.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Armstrong residents are invited to learn more about active transportation next week. An Open House Oct. 19 features lots of information on the project to develop an active transportation plan in Armstrong....more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: The Staff of Pleasant Valley Secondary School were in for a treat this past thanksgiving. The Foods 11/12 class prepared and served a thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the trimmings for the staff at the high school.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: The Staff of Pleasant Valley Secondary School were in for a treat this past thanksgiving. The Foods 11/12 class prepared and served a thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the trimmings for the staff at...more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: The World Polio fund raising campaign kicked off Oct. 3. Rotary clubs and other partners have worked 20 years on a Polio Plus Campaign to eradicate the tenacious disease. But a strong push is now needed to root it out once and for all. The local campaign kicked off at 10. a.m. downtown. It included an indoor display and video. Rotarians who have participated in mass vaccination events in India participated in the event to discuss the campaign and field questions.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: The World Polio fund raising campaign kicked off Oct. 3. Rotary clubs and other partners have worked 20 years on a Polio Plus Campaign to eradicate the tenacious disease. But a strong push is now needed...more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: A new exhibit opened recently at the Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Art Gallery. The exhibit features paintings by accomplished area artist Jamie Frazer, work by the Okanagan Basketry Guild and photographs by Darrel Giesbrecht. The show runs until November 13 with an opening night reception held October 9th. Admission is free and the reception includes refreshments and an opportunity to meet with the artists. The Art Gallery is also offering 'Whimsical Birdhouse', a basketry workshop with accomplished artist Martha Cloudesley of the Okanagan Basketry Guild.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: A new exhibit opened recently at the Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Art Gallery. The exhibit features paintings by accomplished area artist Jamie Frazer, work by the Okanagan Basketry Guild and photographs...more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: The Armstrong Rotary Club and Askew's Foods kicked off a World Polio Day fundraising campaign October 3. Rotary Clubs and other partners have worked for 20+ years on a campaign to eradicate polio and a strong push now was needed to root it out once and for all. The local campaign kicked off with an indoor display, video presentation and the opportunity to speak to local Rotarians who have participated in mass vacination events in India. The community can help with fundraising efforts by adding a donation to their grocery bill at checkout time and staff as Askews are happy to be part of this effort. The campaign will end on October 24th with a wrap-up event to commemorate World Polio Day.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: The Armstrong Rotary Club and Askew's Foods kicked off a World Polio Day fundraising campaign October 3. Rotary Clubs and other partners have worked for 20+ years on a campaign to eradicate polio and a...more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Students at Armstrong Elementary School have started the year off on the right foot with their bi-weekly walk-run program and daily PE classes. The school is also educating students about the HINI Virus and how to prevent infection. According to school administration, students are being instructed on proper hand washing, sneezing into their elbow or sleeve and other preventative measures. So far, it is working as the school has been illness free. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Students at Armstrong Elementary School have started the year off on the right foot with their bi-weekly walk-run program and daily PE classes. The school is also educating students about the HINI Virus...more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: The ever popular Black Duck Cafe is back again. Students from the creative writing group run a cafe during lunch. It's kind of like the 60's Beatnik coffeehouse according to school administration. Students read poetry, stories and even sing sometimes.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: The ever popular Black Duck Cafe is back again. Students from the creative writing group run a cafe during lunch. It's kind of like the 60's Beatnik coffeehouse according to school administration. Students...more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: PVSS Leadership organized its first event of the 2009/2010 school year with "80's Workout Day' held in conjunction with the Terry Fox Run. Students were encouraged to dress up, be active and show their school spirit! The PVSS Leadership class organizes several events throughout the year.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: PVSS Leadership organized its first event of the 2009/2010 school year with "80's Workout Day' held in conjunction with the Terry Fox Run. Students were encouraged to dress up, be active and show their...more

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Pleasant Valley Secondary School rolled out a fruit and vegetable program this year thanks to a grant from Healthy Schools and another grant to purchase a fridge to keep produce fresh. Like the fruit and vegetable programs running at other local schools, boxes of produce are available at classrooms to provide students with healthy food options. The school's snack shack also has more choice this year to reflect responses from a student survey done fall 2008.

Date: Oct 21, 2009

Entry: Pleasant Valley Secondary School rolled out a fruit and vegetable program this year thanks to a grant from Healthy Schools and another grant to purchase a fridge to keep produce fresh. Like the fruit and...more

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