I have so many cherished Bowen Island Moments from this past year. There are the sunsets we’ve enjoyed from Evergreen Estates, the early evening swims at Sealeigh Park beach, the brunches with friends at Artisan Eats (almost every Sunday), building a Bowfest Parade float with the kids from CHC and all those impromptu captured conversations with folk while shopping in the village... but I have to say the top cherished moments were the special acts of kindness that came our way while Paul was in the hospital for most of February. Our Bowen friends let us stay in their home in West Van for recuperating, they took care of our dogs, gave Paul an awesome pair of knee pads so this incident wouldn’t happen again, rescued me when I was stuck in a snow drift, came to the hospital with all sorts of treats and someone (Phil) stacked a much needed cord of wood in our shed. We feel very blessed. Thank you Bowen!!!
- Basia Lieske
This community is special: seeing a friendly smiling, familiar face, having friends even strangers help you out, living life in the slow lane. It’s all good for the soul and why we all love Bowen. Our moment was fighting against mass logging on our island. We came together and we succeeded.
- Raf Izdebski / Bowen Life
So many moments to choose from, so little space available. Our decision to make Bowen our full time home, after a 75 year weekend only apprenticeship, giving us more quality time to enjoy our wonderful community friends, the beauty of the island and the golf course, of course!
- Bruce & Dorene Russell
When Tim Hausch (aka the Shaw Cable Guy) happily and enthusiastically dropped submissions from his Shaw Cable truck at a height 37 feet up for the BICS Science Fair Egg Drop Challenge in the pouring rain for the education and entertainment of Science Fair participants and guests.
- Wendy, Carla and the Science Fair Committee
This year I was so inspired by the number of people that came out to events I helped organize around housing. Some as boring as mortgage rules! Others as fun as designing a tiny house village! Everyone’s enthusiasm around this subject has continued to spur my enthusiasm to continue working towards more diverse and affordable housing for Bowen. Thank you Bowen for the housing love!
- Robyn Fenton
Proud Orchard Recovery Bowen Moment: When THREE of our staff were nominated for Bowen Island’s 2017 “Citizen of the Year” Award! The team that we have here really do make magic happen, both at the Orchard and in our community. A huge congratulations to Sue Clarke (our Alumni Coordinator), Yvonne McSkimming (our HR Director), and Rev. Shelagh MacKinnon (our Spiritual Director)!
-The Orchard Recovery Centre
We’re calling our Bowen moment of 2017 (which will be our first year on Bowen) sweet and sour, and the moment itself was Remembrance Day. As re-located Scots, those pipers brought tears to our eyes, and we felt so at home and welcomed among the crowd. We were also touched by Reverend Shelagh’s words. The fly over, however, brought home the reality of war, and while maybe it was important it was also a little hard.
- Sue Fairburn and Stuart Proctor
I am feeling great joy at having seen the community come together to support the Orchard Cottages.
- Hans Behm
I know it’s winter but my favourite Bowen Moments have all happened in the ocean. It was very late August two summers ago and I knew that this was likely my last swim for the season. It was glorious. I was out at Cape Roger Curtis and it was close to 8pm.You know those sunsets right? Multiple layers of orange, red and yellow - it looks like a Georgia O’Keefe painting in the sky. I was just about to let go of touching the rocky bottom and drift out a bit and Teresa Plowright got into the water too. We’d met a few times but hadn’t ever had a long conversation. That evening she and I swam and chatted and drifted and lazed around in the late August sun for a very long time. We became Bowen neighbours that day. This past summer, I had a similar moment when Jean Coker found me in the water and let me in on a dream of hers, and another moment came not long after, sharing the first long swim of the season with Louise Loik. I hope this gives you all a bit of warmth to your winter!
- Tina Overbury
