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Dr. Brenda’s now bringing her veterinary training to bear on providing holistic wellness for ‘radically healthy pets’. (Submitted)

Chamber of Commerce Week showcase celebrates home-based enterprise this year
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Tara Bushby Art is a new departure for this scion of a talented family. (Submitted)

Businesses power communities, and small businesses can be the power that helps small communities move forward into new economic waters.

That’s the message of this year’s BC Chamber of Commerce Business Week and the Cowichan Lake District Chamber of Commerce is again holding a celebration at the Lake Cowichan Visitors Centre.

The event started Monday, Feb. 19 and will continue right up to Friday, Feb. 23.

“It’s about showcasing businesses here in our community, especially those that don’t have storefronts,” says Katherine Worsley, the face of the Visitors Centre.

Showcased this week already were Tara Bushby Art (Monday, Feb. 19), Gerard’s Specialty Foods Ltd. (Tuesday, Feb. 20), with the event continuing with Body Fly Butter (Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 1 to 4 p.m.), and Dr. Brenda’s Holistic Pet Services (Friday, Feb. 23 from 1 to 4 p.m.)

Glenda Burg of Gerard’s served her delicious strudel pastries Tuesday.

“They have their dessert strudel as well but I believe she also has a new one called the chocolate strudel. Her stuff is alway great. Glenda was also at the business showcase and whenever she has her things ready prepared, there’s always a discount. And I look forward to that, too. I use her services a lot but I love a discount, too. If I can save a penny, I will, and if I can boost a business at the same time, that’s great,” Worsley said.

Burg is also really keen on boosting Lake Cowichan.

“A lot of people still call on her for advice, and to come to meetings, and she willingly gives of her time. It’s wonderful.”

“There is a storefront at Gerard’s Specialty Foods, but they are a bit of a different kind of storefront and they were part of it from the very beginning when we started showcasing here at the Visitors Centre during Chamber Business Week. Even though he’s gone now, she’s still a huge community booster with their son, and her brother, too,” Worsley said.

“Tara Bushby’s parents own South Shore Cabinetry and she is still doing business with them: she’s their interior design person. But she’s also going out on her own and has her own business called Tara Bushby Art. She has wonderful creations. She showcased at the October Business Showcase that we held. That went fantastically. And she’s had some of her art displayed at Scarlett’s as well.”

She kicked off the week at the Centre on Monday afternoon, where people got a chance to meet her. She had artwork signed and ready and Bushby herself was ready to take orders as well.

Catherine Nahirnick’s Body Fly Butter is a home-based business, although her husband, Steve, owns Blackjack’s Appliance Repair.

“She’s just getting off the ground and she’s been at many, many events, craft fairs and things like that. This is a way to showcase her now. She’s one of the local businesses wanting to expand, to get bigger,” Worsley said.

The products are handmade from 100 per cent natural ingredients. Every jar is hand-filled, weighed and measured to ensure quality and consistency. They contain no toxins, preservatives, water, dyes, or artificial fragrance.

“I don’t have anyone planned for Thursday. But we are actually showcasing Farm Table Inn on Feb. 22 because that’s the day you can go down to their chamber showcase event, at their location, as part of Dine Cowichan 2018. That’s why I thought I’d leave that day open and tell everyone to go to Farm Table Inn.

“On Friday, Feb. 23, though, we’ve got Dr. Brenda Bernhardt with her new line of holistic wellness products for ‘radically healthy pets’.

“She’s coming in. She has retired now as an active veterinarian. But that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have the knowledge, though, after 25 years of service that she has put in. She’s got wonderful new products now she’s a holistic healer for your pet. She does home visits and will do telephone consultations. She does help with end of life as well.

“We had her here last year and I’m very happy that she’s going to do it again. Last year we had pets come in and see Dr. B and she gave advice to owners about what to do and what they could help with and which vet to go see down in Duncan.”

Worsley herself loves the idea of holistic care for pets.

“My little boy, [her dog, Benson], has been under the care of Dr. B since he was a puppy and he’ll be five in May. I do a lot of treatments for him that are holistic, and cook foods for him. I look for holistic foods for him, too. I got into it when I was watching that show, The Crown, and I saw the Queen ask to make sure that [her pet] got his chicken livers. I decided to treat Benson like royalty. I’m sure pets are all royal to their owners. And Dr. Brenda has been doing a lot of research and stuff into holistic treatment for animals.”

The BC Chamber’s motto for 2018’s big week is to showcase and celebrate the People that Power BC Business.

“I have to give kudos to our businesses out there and also to our organizations. Everyone involved has to have strong business sense. From the ground up in our community, everybody is business, doing business, doing trade. Everyone has to pull and do everything with a business mind. We are going through a change. There is no doubt about it. We have so many people coming to our area. We had over 39,000 people come to our visitors centre over the year. December 2016 was our busiest December ever. We didn’t beat that but we’re still doing well. And we have lots to showcase.”

This summer, the Cowichan Lake area hosts the BC Summer Games opening ceremonies, and the canoe and kayak events plus Cowichan Lake Days, Laketown Rock, Sunfest, and more.

“We’re so excited with all the events that are going to be going on.”

Lake Cowichan town councillors mentioned at a meeting last week that there is a new online reservation system for Lakeview Park Campground that is working really well.

“And now the forestry campsites that are run by TimberWest also have an online reservation system as well. It’s www.lakecowichancamping.com Even though those campgrounds are not in Lake Cowichan, those are the search words everybody uses, everybody calls this whole place Lake Cowichan.”

The Lakeview Park site has received more than $60,000 worth of reservations already, according to the Town of Lake Cowichan.

“Those are people who are planning for those big events. And when they call in here, each phone call with take 10-15, sometimes 20 minutes, directing people where they can go, and to what accommodations we have. We don’t have a lot of accommodations here in the area. It would be nice to see some more step up. It’s wonderful that the Riverside Inn is up and running with its rooms. That is a plus,” she said.

But the entire district is starting to shake off the winter blahs and get ready for the visitors season.

“In fact, all around town now, you can see the hustle and bustle. Everybody is cleaning up their sidewalks, tidying up. Dot’s Shoe Store always has their lights on and a great display. Scarlett’s is now open at 7 a.m. In Honeymoon Bay, they are having their event, the Cabin Fever Market on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the end of Chamber Week. The Seniors are doing their paint night that same night.

“At March Meadows, too, they are grooming the course and getting ready. There have been a lot of people asking us: Can I go golfing yet? You can go out there to view it but you’ll have to call ahead to see when you can tee off. There are quite a few areas that are mossy and wet.

“And, of course, people ask about our nature here, too. They want to see if the fawn lilies are in bloom yet. They ask where they can see a bear or a cougar. It would be nice if we could send them to go see a bear but we don’t have our animals in zoos,” Worsley said.



lexi.bainas@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

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Does Benson deserve the royal treatment? Who wouldn’t love that face? (Submitted)
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Dr. Brenda Bernhardt’s now bringing her veterinary training to bear on providing holistic wellness for ‘radically healthy pets’. (Submitted)