NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTS - PREVIOUS YEARS

2008

1. We reprinted our book 'Port of Nakusp' before Christmas last fall and are pleased with the results. Unfortunately, the costs were high because the first printing was 15 years ago and by a different printer, so cost was over $50 and we are selling at $60.

2. We hope to reprint our most popular book 'Circle of Silver' this year. We will need to obtain many grants including the CBT Initiative grant. Please remember to vote for us!

3. We will be obtaining a laptop and projector through help from a new Heritage grant so that we can do PowerPoint presentations of history and to feature our many wonderful slides of the early days of sternwheelers and so on.

Trip last year - went on the planned trip to the Mennonite settlement and gravesite –along with a couple doing research for a book on the Mennonites that we met at the office one day. They had maps and knew the area well. Annette Devlin did a lot to help as well We will approach Roca Mines at Trout Lake about a tour hopefully this year.

2007

1.  A third computer was bought this year to help us set up a Finding Aids System, Accessioning System and Cross Referencing System. RDCK gave us a donation towards this computer. We are working with a computer specialist on the best way to set this up.

2. The little book, Caulkboot Riverdance was published in November and arrived in time to sell at the two Christmas Craft events and we did very well in sales. Sold over 300 books of the 800 printed by the end of December! A grant of $5000 was received from the CBT Initiatives grants and $1000 from Pope & Talbot toward publication costs.

3. We hope to reprint our book Port of Nakusp next fall. It will be costly and so we once again need grants to achieve this. We do have publication funds from the sale of our books but this book will be more expensive.

4. Trips for this year  - a planned trip to the Mennonite settlement and gravesite – We have contacted a couple doing research for a book on the Mennonites at the office one day. We asked if they could accompany us to help find other sites as well as the cemetery. They have maps as well. They will accompany us on Wednesday 6^th of June. Annette Devlin will also assist in this tour. We also will approach Roca Mines at Trout Lake about a tour at a future date.

2006

1. We have been copying the 1970s and 1980s Arrow Lakes newspapers because we are receiving requests for this time period now. This is a big job and after copying the papers, they must be cut up and put into looseleafs into categories to make the information easy to find. Thanks to Judy and Denis Stanley for allowing us these precious newspapers to copy.

2. With the help from a grant from Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CBT) ($1000) we purchased a new computer for the office to replace the old one that was ready to collapse. RDCK also helped with a grant of $500. We also bought a computer for the interview room, which has added specialties for copying videos to CD or DVDs. We also now can scan old photos for people and do a copy for them. This was more costly but BC Gaming helped with the funding for this.

3. The little book Halcyon. The Captain's Paradise - was published last year and is selling well at $25 plus $10 for postage/packaging. We received $1000 grant from RDCK and $1000 from CBT's Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance to help with printing costs.

4. Milton Parent, with Bill Barrow's assistance, is working on a little book on the Arrow Lakes River Drive of the 1960s. This was from Revelstoke to Castlegar when tugs transported bundles of logs to the mill. Hopefully, it will be ready to be published soon. We are looking for photos of these tugs doing this work, do you have any?

5. Trips for this year - hopefully - will get to see the big cedar tree on way to Camborne - Nigel will be advising when we will be able to go. Also a trip to the Mennonite settlement and gravesite. Annette Devlin has offered to take us there.

September 2005 - Brief Update

We have been fortunate enough through grants to be able to buy two new computers - one to replace the one in the office that we use for all office work. The other has a scanner and now we can scan photos that anyone brings in for us to copy - no need to leave those precious gems while we copy at home.

Also we will be copying our videos, slides and negatives onto CD or DVD so that we have a copy of these items in case of disaster. These are to be kept off-site for safety.

2005

1. We have worked hard to provide information whenever requested to people looking for data about pioneers who once lived in our area and to others working on books, grants etc. The most interesting this past year was when contacted by Knowledge Network for help with a BC Moments program on five hot springs of the area - including Nakusp and Halcyon Hot Springs.

2. We have started copying the 1970s and 1980s Arrow Lakes newspapers because we are receiving requests for this time period now. This is a big job and after copying the papers, they must be cut up and put into looseleafs into categories to make the information easy to find.

3. With the help from a grant from Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CBT) and BC Gaming, we managed to buy about $2000 worth of acid free supplies and tapes.

4. The little book Halcyon. The Captain's Paradise - is at the printers and should be ready for sale by June. It will cost $25 each - add $10 for postage if it needs to be mailed.

5. Our other books are selling well and because of that we were able to print this new book and reprint Silent Shores and Sunken Ships last year.

6. We are hoping to go to some local fire lookouts this year for some of our trips. Also trying to get enough boats together to take us to Arrowhead again - this time by water. Can anyone help with this?

7. We had a 20th Anniversary Open House at the archives in December and were pleased to see new people visit the premises.