Date: October 15/2025
Thyme Restaurant in the Holiday Park Resort Community at 415 Commonwealth Road in Kelowna is now celebrating one year in business. Both the 64-acre Holiday Park and Thyme Restaurant are owned and operated by Dawn McLaughlan, with the restaurant being managed by Heather Coté. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner Tuesday to Sunday (closed Mondays) from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and is open all year round. They offer 63 seats inside, a lovely patio for the summer months and are fully licensed. Inside the restaurant, there is a unique bakery/deli that offers all kinds of baked goods, including home-made cinnamon buns, muffins, cookies, scones, brownies, and other desserts that are all made in-house by baker and manager Heather Coté. Heather also makes their Italian bread loaves. Breakfast is normally served until 11:00 a.m. There is a large selection of appies and sides, including bruschetta, chicken wings, nachos, soups and tacos. Thyme’s fries are hand-cut from Kennebec potatoes and are absolutely delicious. Some of the restaurant’s most popular lunch and dinner items offered are the Mediterranean bowl, hearty home-made chilli bowl, hand-made burgers, and lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. In the evening, we visited Thyme, where they were serving a special roast beef dinner with all the trimmings. It was delicious, and the portion was very generous. If you would like to see what Holiday Park Resort is about, take a drive around the park and then stop into Thyme for coffee and a treat, lunch or dinner. thymeholidaypark.ca; www.sweetlife.com
Vitaliti Medical Spa is a new business dedicated to enhancing the well-being and confidence of its patients through medical aesthetics. Owned and operated by medical esthetician Shannon Campbell, who is also a certified paramedical tattoo artist, Shannon’s belief is that everyone deserves to feel good about themselves, inside and out. By combining advanced techniques with a personalized approach, the aim is to create a welcoming environment where patients receive tailored care. Vitaliti provide services such as areola reconstruction, scar camouflage, hair loss, scalp micro pigmentation, laser skin resurfacing, and facials. Their commitment to ongoing education and the latest innovations in aesthetic treatments ensures that patients benefit from the best, most effective solutions for their individual needs. www.beyondvitaliti.com
Sylvia Weir has been appointed President and CEO of Interior Health. Since June 2025, Sylvia has been serving as interim President and CEO and brings proven experience, having previously held IH’s finance and infrastructure teams and managed relationships with external partners. Dr. Robert Halpenny is the Chair of the IH Board of Directors.
Zatarain Renovations, owned and operated by Freddy Zatarain, has been in business in the Okanagan for 18 years. Freddy handles a wide range of projects for all renovations, including drywall, painting, flooring and tiling. He specializes in high-quality home renovations, with his main specialty being high-end showers and converting bathrooms into safe, accessible spaces, including conversions to accommodate wheelchairs. This allows his clients to stay in their own homes and age in place. Freddy prides himself on his detail-oriented workmanship, from small fixes to larger projects, handling the projects from top to bottom. His clients have told me that Freddy’s workmanship and professionalism are exceptional, and the quality of his work is of the highest standards. Check him out on Facebook.
HR Consultant, Treena Harley, has started a new business called People & Resources Partnership Ltd. Treena provides HR consulting services to small and medium-sized businesses, focusing on helping employers navigate compliance, workplace culture and people-related challenges. Many local businesses do not have in-house HR personnel, and Treena will provide them with the support in that field that they need. Treena formerly worked for the School District for 12 years in a support staff role and completed her business degree at Okanagan College. She feels she knows how important small and medium-sized businesses are to Kelowna, and she is now ready to support them with practical HR help. www.treena@peopleandresources.ca
Raychel Wickins is the interim Branch Manager, Scotiabank, Mission Village at 940 Frost Road, which is Scotiabank’s newest location that officially opened its doors in July. Raychel brings over a decade of strong financial service and leadership to her position and businesses to achieve their financial goals through personalized advice and community-focused service. Raychel is passionate about supporting local initiatives and promoting financial literacy. raychal.wickins@scotiabank.com
ADHD Kid Vs. Environment is a newly published book by Dylan Draper and Dylan’s mom, Rhonda Draper. In the book, Dylan Draper (DD) shares his experiences growing up with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Rhonda shares what it was like raising someone who has ADHD. You will also hear from others who helped along the way. The book is written in small paragraphs, short chapters, and bite-sized pieces. Rhonda states that chances are, if you have picked up the book, you have ADHD, and your attention span is short, or someone in your life has ADHD, and you have one eye on them right now. Dylan is now an educator, currently living in Cairo, Egypt. Rhonda is a public-school educator and also works in the faculty of Education at UBCO. Greta Friesen, who was the graphic artist of the book, is Dylan’s cousin. She is a graphic designer with a background in marketing and fine arts. Available on Amazon.ca
Talk Money. Build Confidence. Launch Change is presented by TD Bank Group on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Kelowna Community Theatre. Hosted by Launch Okanagan and coming together during Financial Literacy Month, it is important to recognize the importance of financial education and the hope it creates right here in the Okanagan. Money is difficult enough to talk about for anyone. The event is about shifting that reality. You will hear stories of dignity, where participants are respected for their resilience rather than defined by hardship and how confidence grows when people gain the tools to make informed financial decisions. Reserve your ticket at www.launchchange.ca
FH&P Lawyers is hosting a free event for the community featuring Mike Shaw, former professional skier, author and clinical counsellor on October 21/2025, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at 400-1628 Dickson Avenue (Landmark 4). The topic by Mr. Shaw is “I’m Fine” – The Most Common Lie Told by Men. It is a candid, interactive conversation on mental health, resilience, and thriving under pressure, through his powerful story of recovery and evidence-based strategies. RSVP at www.fhplawyers.com
Greater Westside Board of Trade Business After Hours is October 23rd, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at City Furniture. Register at www.gwboardoftrade.com
The Central Okanagan Hospice Association (COHA) has launched its province-wide fundraising initiative, BC Proud: The Bucket List Adventure Raffle, offering you the chance to win extraordinary prizes while supporting vital no-cost palliative supports and grief care. With only 13,700 tickets available, COHA’s Bucket List Adventure Raffle features two unforgettable prizes: a luxury expedition for two to Haida Gwaii with Maple Leaf Adventures, valued at $30,000.00 and a $25,00000 cash prize. The raffle’s theme is “For the Life You Cherish. For the Lives We Support.” BC Proud: The Bucket List Adventure Raffle runs from September 26th, 2025, to February 19th, 2026, with the grand prize draw on February 20th, 2025. Tickets online at www.cohabucketlistraffle.com.
The Great Closet Cleanout is Sunday, October 19th, 2025, at the Laurel Packinghouse from noon to 3:00 p.m. for general admission or grab a limited VIP ticket for first crack at 11:00 a.m. at www.greatclosetcleanout.com. This is a great time to refresh your wardrobe and shop for sustainable fashion. DJ DangerCat will be headlining entertainment for the event, and you can look forward to Ash and Jamie of Two Blueprints Styling at 12:15 p.m., who will be on-site to present customized styling ideas. The event continues to support The Bridge Youth & Family Services. Rosanne Ting-Mak Brown is the event producer.
Jason Parks Customs is celebrating its 10th birthday at the Hatch Winery at 3225 Boucherie Road. The Hatch was the first winery in the JPC collection to open, which now also includes Black Swift Vineyards, Crown & Thieves, The Hatching Post, Barbeque Restaurant & Brewery and Truck 59 Ciderhouse. On Saturday, October 18th, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in true JPC style, the Hatch will host a not-so-serious Hatchapalooza event celebrating 10 years of wine, weirdness, and far too many puns. Expect pure Hatch chaos, including two beverage vouchers with your ticket, gourmet hot dogs, mac + cheese, live entertainment and a few more surprises. Each guest will receive a signed Paul Morstad 10-year birthday print for tickets https://www.jasonparkescustoms.com/pages/calendar. Dana Haudenschild is the Director of Marketing for the company.
Cake for Breakfast, owned and operated by Blake and Kayla Bjornson at 901 Ellis Street, is turning one year old, and to celebrate, they are hosting a Cake Harvest event on October 19th, 2025. It’s a pretty unique event, so here’s how it works. You purchase a ticket for $65.00. Then, on October 19th, you visit Cake for Breakfast, and you will receive an empty box. You then fill your box with all kinds of cake treats. There will be all sorts of flavours and styles of cakes to choose from. It’s virtually a cake buffet. You can snag a table to start your cake feast or simply fill up your box and take it with you. They will also be doing some giveaways. For tickets, visit www.cakeforbreakfast.ca
The 3rd Annual Watch Her Soar is now at the Delta Grand, on Saturday, November 1st, with a high-energy fashion show, featuring women’s and men’s clothing, a speak-easy with whiskey tastings and casino tables. This year’s black-tie event, themed “Runaway & Roulette,” kicks off with a three-course dinner, followed by a Speakeasy and Casino. Beyond the glitz, several Dress for Success clients will share their journeys from struggle to triumph, then strut the runway themselves, revealing stunning style makeovers and unshakable confidence. Tickets $295.00. For more information, kelowna@dressforsuccess.org
Birthdays of the week – Vivian Chen (Oct. 16); Samuelz Galvez (Oct. 17); Noreen Young (Oct. 17); Teresa Teschner (Oct. 17); Peter Teschner (Oct. 17); Jim Csek (Oct. 18); Paul Winkler (Oct. 18); Dorothee Birker (Oct. 18); Debbie MacMillan (Oct. 19); Charlotte Springate (Oct. 19); Ron Spence (Oct. 19); Bali Banger (Oct. 19); Bob Kuehn (Oct. 20); Dennis Perley (Oct. 20); Donna Majewski (Oct. 21); Roxy Paul (Oct. 21); Chris Matte (Oct. 21).
The Specialty Bakery Birthday Cake winner of the week is Chris Matte. Chris, please pick up your Birthday cake at any of the Specialty Bakery locations.
Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna City Councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546 or 250-862-7662. E-mail max@maxinedehart.ca
