SRD K9’s is a volunteer organization whose core function is the ongoing search for missing persons in BC. Their vision is to become the Provincial hub for search dog training and detection. Working K9’s come from a variety of backgrounds and training methodologies. SRD K9’s consist of Narcotics Detection K9’s, Article Search K9’s, Live Find K9’s, Tracking K9’s, and Human Remains Detection K9’s.

Do you like to talk about news stories of the week? If you do, we invite you to join moderator, Ray Pillar, and the students of this class for a lively provocative discussion and debate about local, provincial, national and world issues. Participants introduce topics of the week (or they can pass) and that is followed by general discussion led by the class host and moderator. Outside experts are occasionally invited for short presentations and questions. This is a time to learn more about issues in the world today. The sessions are respectful, welcoming and engaging. Whatever the news, we look forward to a range of views and great discussions.

This will be an outdoor class at one of the pull offs in Lac du Bois Park. Lyn will read from the prologue of her autobiographical, award-winning book, “Drawing Botany Home”. Participants will then work through some writing/drawing exercises related to plants. The point is for folks to think about the role of plants in each of our lives, some noticed, many unnoticed…

Organizing of LGBTQ+ rights in British Columbia has changed drastically from its early days in the 1960’s to the later decades of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. This presentation traces the history of LGBTQ+ organizations and their members throughout this time period, looking at how the goals and methods of organizing changed based on the needs of the community and their visibility in wider British Columbia society. From decriminalization of homosexuality to AIDS organizing, groups across BC have helped to change the laws and attitudes towards queer people, thereby creating more visibility, acceptance, and a strong sense of community that still has impacts today.

The Kamloops Residential School that we see across the South Thompson River today was in operation from 1923 to 1977. The original school, built in 1890, burned down shortly before. Between 1890 and 1977, hundreds of Indigenous children passed through these doors. Our guide will take us through the chapel, dining room, kitchen, boys’ dormitory, and gymnasium, sharing the history of what took place at this school. Please be aware that this walking tour does include climbing up and down very narrow stairwells. As parking is limited, please arrange carpooling with other participants. We will meet at the monument in front of the Kamloops Residential School 15 minutes before our scheduled tour at 10:00AM. Please note that this tour will include difficult subject matter.

In this class on creative writing, Gail will explore ways to incorporate personal interviews (one of the many tactics to stimulate creativity) into writing practice.

Although Russia, for the most part, is perceived negatively these days, its two main cities have much to interest travellers. In the summer of 2019, before the most recent invasion of Ukraine, Bruce and his family travelled to St. Petersburg and Moscow with a Russian friend and guide. You might be surprised by what you can learn about these two cities.

The world of cyber security is confusing, particularly with the increasing development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Thelma will walk us through the critical cyber risks everyone should watch out for. Staying vigilant and informed is everyone’s best defense in this new age of digital deception.

In Riverside Park, there is a monument about Fort Kamloops, designated a historic site in 1924, in memory of the fur traders of the Pacific Fur Company, the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company, who all established trading posts in the vicinity. Ken’s presentation will provide an intimate look at the ten men honoured on the plaque and how they figured in the history of the fur trade from 1811 to 1860. Ken’s extensive research reveals that the ten men are described through colourful and pejorative language by fellow fur traders and managers as well as through the “Character Book of George Simpson” (1832). Simpson was the Hudson’s Bay Company Governor-in-chief of Rupert’s Land. The plaque itself is subject to critique by whom it leaves out and its colonial, settler language in reference to the fur traders as “pioneers”, and for “securing the country for Great Britain.”

This will be an opportunity to visit the renowned McAbee fossil beds and heritage site. We will stop twice on the way to McAbee—the Kamloops Lake overlook and the provincial park in Savona. The overlook gives us a good view of the geology and fragments of crust transported by tectonic plates during the last ice age. At Savona we will be within a Pleistocene delta and it is a chance to imagine the forces that would have been unleashed when the ice jams at Spences Bridge and Savona burst, and there was a horrendous flood of lake water into what is now the Fraser. From there we will continue on to the McAbee fossil beds. Our walk up the hill takes us through the margin of this Eocene lake. Above our head you will see hoodoos carved through the flows that entered the lake and filled it until there was no more lake. After passing through some uneven ground we come to a trail where the careful observer can find pieces of shale with fossils. The McAbee is a protected site. There is ABSOLUTELY NO collecting or digging into the outcrop. If we find a fantastic fossil lying on the ground we will report it to the Heritage Park managers. We can have a picnic at the McAbee, though there is NO shade. Or continue on to Cache Creek.
Please bring adequate food and drink, wear sturdy walking shoes, and dress for the weather.

Aging in the LGBTQ+ community is a journey marked by resilience and activism, and it requires navigating systems that were never designed with queer lives in mind. This lecture reveals how historical discrimination, the concept of chosen family, health care disparities and intergenerational disconnect have shaped the experiences of queer elders today. While acknowledging the challenges they face, we also celebrate their strength, legacy, and unwavering commitment to fighting for justice. Join us for an empowering conversation that explores the meaning of aging with dignity, pride and community.

This one-hour talk will cover a variety of topics that the TRU Sustainability Office is currently working on to retain its position as a sustainability leader in the post-secondary sector in Canada. Topics will include everything from energy, transportation, waste, and biodiversity initiatives to trying to influence everyday behaviours and decisions on academic programming and research to the biggest sustainability project the university has ever undertaken.

The first Come to the Concert class of the semester will be a piano-lover’s delight that presents not one but both of the piano concertos of Frédéric Chopin. Of the few works that Chopin wrote for piano with orchestra, these two are the best known and most frequently heard—but seldom in the same programme. What a treat! As much, if not more of a treat is that the soloist is local piano virtuoso Jaeden Izik-Dzurko from Salmon Arm, who this year won the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition. [In addition, he will be giving two solo recitals on September 24 and 25.] This class will also examine the concert’s other composition namely Three Autumn Scenes by the BC composer and teacher Christine Donkin.

The presentation Andrew will give is based on his study leave in India during January and February of this year. He explored nine different religions in India. He wanted to experience the rituals, converse with the people, try the food and meditate to the music. Andrew will include a touch of humour in his presentation, and along with the photos he took, he will share some interesting stories and insights with you. Andrew’s goal is to leave you with the hope that humans can find unity in the face of incredible diversity. Religion can be misused, but it can also be a force for peace and reconciliation.

Kamloops is fortunate to have natural areas all around us, sometimes literally right outside our back doors. Recently, the BC Parks Foundation acquired a piece of property on the edge of Juniper Ridge and Rose Hill neighbourhoods. The area is readily accessible and easy to visit to see some of the distinctive features of local grassland ecosystems. In this class, the importance of BC’s grasslands, as well as some of the threats they face, will be discussed. A short easy hike on the property will give participants a chance to experience this piece of nature. Meet in the parking lot of Rose Hill Park, on Rose Hill Road, at 9:45. From there we will drive to the entrance of the new park, a short distance away. Dress for the weather and wear suitable footwear.

The course will cover the ins and outs of printing on a 3D printer, where to find already made 3D files to print, and introduce how to design your own 3D items to print. You will be able to print a small item on the day of the class.

This presentation will provide an overview of WCT over 50 years. Find out how we started. Learn about big players, grand performances, accolades, our education program, and our Indigenous productions. You will even learn about where we are headed. As a follow up to this class, we suggest enrolling in Ginny Ratsoy’s class, Great Canadian Plays You May Have Seen, which begins Tuesday, October 14.

In the spirit of community, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Western Canada Theatre by studying some past Canadian productions of the company. Expect a brief introduction to Canadian theatre history, along with in-depth looks at several short — and exciting — plays: Ernestine Shuswap gets her Trout, Women of the Fur Trade, Unity (1918), Serving Elizabeth. The instructor will provide you with details on how to purchase the plays closer to the start date of the course. As an ideal prelude to this course we suggest in enrolling in Terri Runnalls class, “Western Canada Theatre is 50: A Short, Exciting History”.

Braden Hallett wrote and illustrated not one, not two, but THREE middle grade books about living with clinical anxiety while dealing with an invasion of brain-eating hamsters. They have been published. They have won awards. They have sent him on book tours. And the publisher has asked Braden to keep writing for them. Braden is understandably confused about all this, but he is very happy to share how it happened. Braden will share his method for writing and illustrating, and of getting a book series published from start to finish. He will also give a quick primer on the conventions and requirements of publishing books for children.

The Mustard Seed is a nonprofit organization with a vision to eliminate homelessness in the communities it serves. Operating for 40 years in 7 cities in Western Canada, the Mustard Seed leads this vision by providing hope and well-being to the most vulnerable in our city. In this presentation, we discuss the complex causes of homelessness and why people in our community experience poverty. We also discuss what the Mustard Seed is doing and the programs we offer. This presentation is information-based, with a short experiential learning piece.

We will provide a tour of the ALS Metallurgy Kamloops laboratory. We will demonstrate how we run testing programs to determine appropriate processes to recover metal out of rock, and provide engineering groups with data to determine if such processes would be economically feasible. We will also tour the comminution laboratory where we do tests that determine the amount of power required to break rock ahead of metal recovery, which is a key parameter to determine mine capital and operating costs. The tour will also include the mineralogy laboratory, where we use powerful microscopes to examine what mineral forms the metals are in, and how much breakage is required to physically separate the minerals of economic interest. We will also tour the sample preparation laboratory, where rocks and test products are prepared and then the assay laboratory where the content of metal in rock and test products is determined. Finally, we will visit the pilot plant where processes can be tested on a continuous basis. Wear closed-toe shoes, long sleeve shirts, and long pants. Please plan to arrive a few minutes before 10 to ensure we begin on time.

Understanding political populism helps us recognize how leaders appeal to “the people” instead of the elites, often using emotional language and simple solutions. It is useful for identifying potential threats to democracy, media manipulation, and polarization—making us more informed citizens in an age of political upheaval and misinformation. In this interactive seminar, we will watch, and discuss, a number of videos and other sources of information through which you will be introduced to the causes, characteristics, and consequences of political populism.

Solutions journalism is considered a newer practice with a focus on solutions. “Solutions journalism investigates and explains, in a critical and clear-eyed way, how people try to solve widely shared problems,” the Solutions Journalism network states. In the class we will explore more about what it is and why it is important by examining various examples of ways of reporting and comparing and contrasting their differences with traditional media.

Every two years, Luminocity presents a selection of artworks that respond to the current state of the world through diverse perspectives. With each iteration, the global context seems to be increasingly in flux with the entrenchment of power systems. At the same time, the environmental emergency becomes harder to ignore. Luminocity lets in the light, offering insight into the world around us through artworks that open up networks of cultural exchange and transport us to other realms. We will meet at Rotary Bandshell in Riverside Park. The tour will begin promptly at 7:00pm and will be approximately 90 minutes long. Comfortable walking shoes, weather appropriate clothing and water are recommended.

We will visit the Centre for Wildfire Research, Education, Training and Innovation – a hub dedicated to advancing knowledge and practices in wildfire management amid the growing challenges of extreme fire behaviour and its impacts.

My presentation will be on the  growing independent news ecosystem in B.C. and what we’re learning in Kamloops since launching The Wren in 2022. The Wren is an online publication devoted to intensive coverage of local issues.

There is much confusion and concern about viral infections, their origins, transmission, treatment and prevention.  With the recent increase in measles cases, avian flu, RSV, HPV, as well as Covid, understanding viruses is key to managing our health.

Join us to learn about a way of responding to harm and conflict that focuses on justice as healing.  Restorative justice principles and practices can be applied in criminal, family, community and school settings. It is shown to have tremendous benefit for people and relationships.

This research looks at how small private forests near Wells Grey Provincial Park could help fight climate change through conservation and carbon offset projects.  Using field data, satellite imagery and community interviews, we explore the carbon storage potential, economic value, community perspective, and policy suitability of these lands and what it would take to make them part of a climate solution.

“The poetry of earth is never dead.” That was the opinion of English poet John Keats. If what he says startles you, puzzles you, or intrigues you, and you begin to wonder what others think of his idea, then this course is the place to be for the next six weeks. You read, discussed and enjoyed poems in school a few years ago – but then poetry dropped out of sight as life took over. This class is an opportunity to reconnect with the expressive power of poetry that Keats also asserts “is ceasing never.” As a group of like-minded colleagues we will bring our life experience, our language knowledge and our critical enthusiasms to help unlock the subtlety and rich complexity of meaning in the poems we examine.

We have robots providing emotionally supportive caregiving, we have Artificial Intelligences (AI) creating art and writing our emails, and glasses placing us in datafied worlds on top of our physical spaces. How are we making sense of these technologies? How are our concepts of connection, creativity and space changing? Does it still make sense to distinguish the real from the simulated? We will ask these questions and more in our 2-hour seminar, during which we will explore examples and recent cultural discussions related to AI and our increasingly augmented reality.

A cancer diagnosis is life-changing, frightening, and overwhelming, but managing this diagnosis with resilience and vitality is still possible.  Strategies such as regular exercise, balanced nutrition, stress management, and strong support systems help individuals through all stages of a cancer diagnosis. These positive lifestyle habits echo the strategies recommended by InspireHealth.  Learn how InspireHealth uses a holistic, research backed approach to empower cancer patients to make changes that improve quality of life.

The Beatles revolutionized not only pop music but popular culture, fashion, attitudes and values. Their evolution from a pop sensation (Beatlemania) to serious artists who pioneered new approaches in recording and the rise of the rock album was accompanied by changes in hairstyles, clothing, attitudes towards personal relationships and new forms of spirituality in the culture at large. This course will trace the Beatles’ transformative journey.

This session will feature members of faculty and Masters program students from the TRU research cluster, Innovation for Social Good (ISG), within the Faculty of Business and Economics. ISG draws on students and faculty from a range of disciplines.  The intent is to promote the creation of businesses that produce social, environmental, and commercial value for society, rather than just shareholder profits.

In a three part series, Constitutional Professor and local historian Craig Jones recounts some almost unbelievable stories from his forthcoming book “First Nation: Grand Chief N’Kwala and the Struggle for the Interior Plateau”.  There are three parts:

Part I (November 10): Finan McDonald, Pelkamulox III, Kaúxuma Núpika, and the Buffalo Wars 1800-1812 – Professor Jones pieces together the hidden story of how a far-sighted Okanagan chief, a gigantic Scot, and a remarkable Ktunaxa female warrior-prophet brought the fur trade to the Interior Plateau.
Part II (November 17): Grand Chief N’Kwala and the Fur Traders 1812-1841 – How Pelkamulox’s son Chief N’Kwala (Nicola), through peacemaking and through war, came to dominate the economy and politics of the Interior, from the early days of Fort Kamloops to the manhunt that followed the killing of Chief Trader Samuel Black.
Part III (December 1): The End of the Trade, the Gold Rush, and Chief Spintlum’s Peace 1842 to 1862 – covers the Hudson Bay Company’s power plays, the imposition of the border at the 49th Parallel and the straining of the Secwepemc-Okanagan confederacy, and documents the remarkable emergence of the alliance of Indigenous nations that held the gold miners in check and averted annexation of British Columbia by the United States.

Please ignore the below class times. The correct class times are below:
Nov 10 – 1:30-3:30
Nov 17 & Dec 1 – 10:00-12:00

Over 5 million people visit the Grand Canyon every year, the vast majority of whom stay on the road that follows the South Rim. But it’s possible to go down into the canyon and explore the trails through this amazing wilderness.  Join us to hear about the pleasures and perils of a week long backpack along the Tonto Trail from South Bass Canyon to Grandview.

A Jukebox Musical takes pop hits and places them in a musical theatre production. Some like “Mamma Mia” place the songs of a particular artist or songwriter or musical genre into an original story, while others, like “Jersey Boys”, are known as Bio Musicals, and centre on the life and career of a particular artist. We will explore both types and listen to lots of music from the most popular that have appeared on Broadway and beyond: “Mamma Mia”, “Movin’ Out”,  “Rock of Ages”, “Bat Out of Hell”, “We Will Rock You”, “Jagged Little Pill and Juliet”, “Jersey Boys”, “Tina”, “The Cher Show”, and so many more

My wife, Mary, and I travelled to Ecuador and Peru in April of this year. The Galapagos Islands and the Amazon were both key destinations on our bucket list, and we combined them in a 4 week trip. This presentation will provide a brief overview of Ecuador and Peru together with a more detailed description of the wonders of the Galapagos and the Amazon. Both destinations should be on your bucket list!

This class, the second in the Come to the Concert series, focuses on just two composers and two of their influential works.  At the same time, it is an opportunity to examine two significant movements in classical music of the last seventy-five years.  “Shaker Loops” by John Adams, begun as early as 1977, will invite us to explore “minimalist” elements in music.  Likewise, Max Richter’s “Four Seasons” (2012) will provoke discussion of “recomposition” or “re-processing” of music — a controversial but not exactly a new idea. Our encounter with these works will help familiarize us not only with the individual compositions themselves but with stylistic evolution of contemporary classical music.

Greg will relate his experience as a Paralympic two time gold medal holder: how he became a champion para athlete in shot put and the emotional impact of such stellar performances. Greg will then go on to discuss his philosophy, “turn your self-doubt into self-confidence,” which underpins his book, “Stand Out”.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional Library has served the lifelong learning, reading and information needs of TNRD residents for almost 50 years now.  How can it serve you?

Of course, you know that you can borrow books, CDs, and DVDs, but did you also know that, should need arise, you can borrow a guitar, a budding birder backpack replete with Vortex binoculars, a light therapy lamp, even a pickleball kit among many other surprising resources.  Is your “tech” misbehaving?  Schedule a free one-on-one session to help get things sorted out. To discover more broadly what your library has to offer, join Andree for an afternoon of library exploration.

Dear Universe traces a line through two decades of practice by multidimensional artist Maura Doyle. Tethering together the exhibition’s works of sculpture, drawing, printed matter, video and experimental writing is Doyle’s attention to the inelegant, the easily overlooked, and the poetic possibilities lodged in day-to-day life.

Water, in its three forms, liquid, vapour and ice, is a major and essential part of our lives and environment. This talk will describe  the many characteristics, properties and effects of water in these three forms, looking at aspects of Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Biology, Meteorology, Physiology, Societal demands, Hydrology and many associated phenomena and the effects on our lives.

The enthusiasm of small groups of musicians, gathered to play their different wind instruments for eager audiences must surely be as old as the invention of the instruments themselves. This class, the third in this Fall’s Come to the Concert series examines the interplay of music created for one such group, a quintet consisting of flute, oboe, clarinet bassoon and horn, the standard “wind quintet.”  The concert’s title, “Winds of Change,” suggests aspects of the of the music’s qualities: chiefly contemporary composers: Canadian (Elizabeth Raum), American (Brandon, Fine, and Coleman) and British (Alan Bullard), but with great variety, rhythmic vitality, lyrical depth and charm.

In this talk, we’ll explore the complex and evolving process of wildfire recovery through the lens of social-ecological systems. From the urgent steps of bringing communities home and coordinating salvage logging and replanting, to the unexpected consequences of the emergence of morel mushrooms and the influx of harvesters they attract, wildfire recovery reveals a complex web of both opportunities and challenges. The morel boom can create sudden economic activity, but it also brings environmental pressures and social tensions. We’ll also explore the long-term healing between communities and the land, and how these relationships must adapt in the face of an ever-changing climate.

These lectures will follow Albert Einstein’s scientific achievements and his controversial personal life. The importance of his scientific publications and his famous opposition to Niels Bohr will be explained. We will show that his theories fundamentally underpin much of today’s modern science and technology. This is a Zoom class so you can watch from the comfort of your home or in the company of others at the Kamloops Sports Council.

Bala will share stories of hope and resilience in building communities. He will describe the on-going work with disaster-affected communities in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and BC. For example, many coastal villages in India and Sri Lanka fall under the Coastal Multi-Hazard Zone (CMZ), making them highly vulnerable to inundation due to sea erosion. Small-scale fishing communities are vulnerable to cyclones and floods. As well, they are vulnerable to losing their rights to the sea, and in addition the fishing grounds and destruction because of industrial trawl fishing and climate change events. At the end of the presentation, Bala and participants will look at our own stories of hope and resilience using narrative tools, and by doing so, create collective hope and strength.

Videographer Alison Maclean will present her latest feature video, showcasing the Liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation. It relates the history of the first ever humanitarian AID Convoy negotiated during German occupation and the leading role played by Canadian troops. Featured are archival footage, Dutch children’s witness stories and veterans’ comments.

Cougars are native to the Americas and found in North, Central and South America, making them the most widely distributed, wild, terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere.  Though rarely seen, they can even be found within the city limits of Kamloops. Kevin will discuss the habits and behaviours of these magnificent, elusive animals.

This faculty led international Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) practicum provides students with opportunities to gain firsthand knowledge about nursing and health care in a developing nation (Nepal) while they spend four weeks in a large urban hospital. The field school promotes their understanding of global health concepts while students also explore Nepali culture, history and politics. Join Shari and several of the student participants while they discuss their experiences with the Nepal Field School.

The fourth Come to the Concert class helps us with our musical preparations for Christmastime.  The Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, the KSO Chorus and soloists always present a joyful selection of seasonal music. The class will explore the programme’s highlights, from familiar longer works such as Messiah, but also take the opportunity to introduce the class to some other delightful but less well-known works.