The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - BI

- . TERRACE STANDARD

DUSTIN

QUEZADA 638-7283

Local singer |
makinga =|
Career move | |
to the big city 7

‘By bust IN QUEZADA ;

. THE BIG city i is calling the big talent of Theresa Marie .

” Fenger. : ; ;

Fenger will perform tomorrow night for friends, ‘family “

and fans before she relocates with her parents to Vancouver |

in July. - foo

_ “There are just. more opportunities in the city,” said

Fenger, who will complete her ‘provincial. exams. this week. an Se
“Plus; [was there last summer.” Tse!

' Fenger, 17, said she isn’t sure what direction her career :
will take, but she’s excited for the ‘opportunities that a, larger -
” centre has to offer. _ :
The singer/songwriter has lived in Terrace since the age | “|
of three and has been a fixture locally, performing at the Pa- oa
cific Northwest Music Festival and otherevents. = "

In Vancouver, she plans’to take vocal lessons for a’ year |
and’ compete in talent competitions like Star Discovery, _
which she performed i in last year, while continuing to ex- er
plore skills that will increase her marketability... oe

“Id like to learn: the guitar and-do some acting,” “said
Fenger, adding she’d like to resume playing more piano, an
instrument she started learning when she was five.

‘Last year, the pop and country musicisinger employed-an*
image consultant ‘and added beauty pageants to her list of |
- accomplishments. ,

Fenger won the Miss
_ Global Teen Canada 2004-05-.
‘and went on to win the, title. F
of Miss Teen Mayan World ©
2004-05 at a competition in
Guatemala, where she will”
return to crown this year’s "Ss :
‘winner. co

But her singing remains .
her primary passion and ca-
reer goal.

At 14, Fenger travelled to
Nashville, Tennessee, where
she recorded her debut re-
lease. -

Me and You and Forever
was produced with the. help’
ofthe Artist Development
Network, a corporation that
helps young artists promote
themselves. _

Fenger, and her parents, who act as her managers; -turned
addition to willing labour. down an independent record label when she was in Grade

Holmberg said Val Parr of the Terrace 10, in order to finish high school and seek a major record
Beautification Society found and prepped deal. ;
the space on the wall of the CIBC bank on _‘ That’s one reason for the trip south.
Sparks St. and Greig Ave., with the permis- But Fenger is apprehensive of fame.
sion of the building’s owner, Mo Takhar. ‘The public scrutiny and the lack of privacy musicians en- ~

Parr and her husband then painted a large dure is not something she wants, Fenger said.
blue circle that would serve as the backdrop — — And because of those feelings, Fenger could be back i in
forthe artistic Kermode. the northwest before long.

Then the Mandurs took over, spending Her backup plan is to pursue a career in teaching music in
30-40 hours to create the stencil of the spirit her late twenties and perhaps take her studies at UNBC. -
bear cub that was used to project the image Fenger said she’s grateful for the support she has received

Students at the junioe high school require on the wall before it was 5 redrawn to proper from the community and invites those people to her good-
volunteer hours as part of a Planning 10 class _ dimensions. bye party potluck at the Lakelse Lake picnic area tomorrow
in order.to graduate, so last year and again 6 afternoon at 4-p.m.

i

EV BISHOP __.
A Letter To My Dad

his topic is belated, but that's me: I’m al-
ways running a bit late; it’s genetic. I get
lateness from my dad. It’s not the only
thing 1 get from him though, and for the

past few weeks, I’ve contemplated the approach of

Father’s Day — what to do, what to buy, what to say

to show him’how much I care? My dad has every-:

thing, so buying him anything is tricky. However,

as I hashed over our 33-year-old relationship, the
. perfect gift'hit me. I would give him the thing that

kids so often forget to give parents until it’s too

late: Thanks. So, in honour of my dad, here are just
. __a few of the things that I'm grateful to him for.

‘ Dad,
"(Starting out early on here!) Thank you forthe
. little Pooh-bear teddy bear that you got me. when I

was about 6 months old. I still treasure Pooh and

have mourned the loss of his cute little red shirt
since 1 was‘about eight.
Thank you for chasing me around the hassock
on your hands and knees, roaring. I can remember
_ giggling so hard I'd fall down.and be unable to get |
away...I think I was under two.
‘When everyone else was getting Barbies and
doll sets, thanks for making me a workbench for

CARLA Seaton (left), does some 2 final touch-ups to the mural on the corner of
Sparks and Greig. Local artist Joe Mandur Jr. designed the white baby: bear lago
for volunteer students from Thornhill Junior Secondary School to paint.

. DUSTIN QUEZADA PHOTO
Christmas and equipping it with real tools (like a

vise and a saw!), nails, screws and chunks of wood. | |
* It rocked. .Thanks-for getting me Barbies too... | - for ¢ . a | to e nj oy

Thanks for taking our family on so many camp-
ing and fishing excursions. 1 will never ‘forget
Dragon Lake and all the trout we caught. Wasn’t
one of them a 20-pounder? (ha ha!)

By DUSTIN QUEZADA

WITH TWO coats of black, three coats of
white and four to five coats of red paint,
Terrace’s newest spirit bear came to life this
past weekend, ©

And the mural is thanks to a collaborative
effort spearheaded by the House of Friends
lunch hour club from ‘Thornhill Junior Sec-
ondary School.

Beth Holmberg, a First Nations support
worker at the school, also leads the lunch

time group of 10 to 12 students.

The idea for the mural came from local
artist Joe Mandur Jr., who, along with his
wife Oleepeeka, acts as a role model to the

group.

“Last year, we made a button blanket that
sits in the front office,” Holberg said.

This year’s project required an empty
wall, paints, the design and artist expertise in

Theresa Fenger

When everyone else was
getting Barbies and doll
sets, thanks for making me a
workbench for Christmas and
equipping it with real tools

. You’ve never been an. animal lover, yet I was
‘allowed a whole menagerie of pets — toads, chick-
ens, rabbits, cats, dogs, goats — Thank you.

Thanks for. constantly singing folksongs and
‘playing a mean harmonica. So fun!

Thank you for the gift of gypsy blood and the
love of gallivanting. Home really can be so far
away from house.

Thanks for not listening to my. whining (or per-
haps [ should say for not giving into it), for mak-
ing me work hard. and for teaching me that there’s
never an excuse for not doing your best job and giv-
ing your best effort. Thanks too for believing that
chores had no gender and that I was a (cringe) “big,
strong, capable girl.” I'd still take wood hauling
over dishes anytime,

Thanks for liking weird food: | credit my di-
verse palate to the fact | had a dad who not only ate
every vegetable known to man, but everything else
that wasn't nailed down too. That unfussiness is a
great quality.

Thank you for making me memorize The Apos-
tles’ Creed, The Lord's Prayer, and a variety of
other texts that I’ve now forgotten.

Thank you for every time you uttered the. words,

‘think of it.” You gave me a love of books and
learning, and encouraged me (still do) to reflect on
life and search for meaning.

* Thank you (and Mom) for staying married even
when it was really hard to; you taught.me about

‘never giving up on people, and about how, with
patience and determination, love endures and re-
news.

Thank you for getting past the many differences
we've had over the years. Even when we don’t see
~ eye;to eye, I know I can depend on you.

- There are many other things that I would like to .
thank you for and I’m sure that Pil kick myself: lat--
er when another really important one pops into my
head — So.one final, all-encompassing thank you:
Thank you for all that you have done for me, do for
me now and will do for me in the future. ~

Leonard Cohen once said, “What I consider a
hero is a person who goes to work every day and
supports their family: I think to hold it together
nowadays is a heroic enterprise.” I couldn’t say it
better. When I was little, | used to tromp around
in your huge black gumboots; all these years lat-
er, you still leave pretty big shoes to fill. You've
always tried to live up the responsibility that the
name “dad” implies. There really aren’t enough

words to say thank you for that.

“Tt have a book you should read: tell me what you .

this year, the group has taken on a volunteer
project.

Continued Page B3

»

For $3, Fenger will perform, in addition to a slideshow ;
presentation, games, karaoke, limbo dancing and more.

Terrace well
represented at Simon:
Fraser University

SEVEN former Terrace residents were part of

over 3,000 students who graduated earlier this
month from SFU in Burnaby, B.C.

In the faculty of arts and social sciences: Kha-
lic Eys, major in economics; Kristine Douglas,
minor in early childhood education/psychology;
Nelly.Favela, minor in curriculum and instruc-
tion/history/geography; Many McInnes, minor in
kinesiology.

In the faculty of applied sciences Clint Shep-
pard earned his kinesiology major.

In the faculty of education: Kristine Douglas,
minor in learning disabilities; Joshua McDonald,

minor-in environmental education; Duncan Stew:

art, minor in environmental education.
With the exception of Stewart, who graduated

from Vernon Secondary, all the students attended=

Caledonia Senior Secondary.

Plenty of patriotic fun
for Canada Day

THE Canada Day weekend is just over a week
away and there are many activities and festivities
planned for Terrace and the northwest.

On Friday, July 1, Heritage Park Museum is
hosting a Canada Day celebration from 11 a.m. to
6 p.m., celebrating the diverse. culture of Terrace
and Canada. The celebration features live music
provided by Copper Mountain Music, a Salmon
barbecue fundraiser, silent auction, artisans dem-

' onstrating their crafts, games and races, and a

kids’ poster contest.

Also on July 1, Terrace Fire Fighters are host-
ing a pancake breakfast from 8-11 a.m. at the Ter-
race Fire Hall in support of the B.C. Professional
Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund.

Through the Canada Day weekend, sporting

Around Town

enthusiasts and spectators can take part in the 4th
annual Adventure Challenge, a three-day series

_challenging-competitors.to take on up to five gru- -

elling events, including rock climbing, open water

- swimming, mountain biking and trail running.

Outside of Terrace, the 2nd annual Crabfest Gingolx
Music Festival is on July 1-2. [t features First Nations
song and dance, along with Canadian acts Chilliwé ick,

_ Trooper, Prairie Oyster and more.

Kitimat has its annual Canada Day festivi-
ties, including a parade on Wakashan, Tsimshian,
Haisla, Kuldo Avenues.

- Prince Rupert celebrates Canada’ s birthday
with a picnic at Mariner's Memorial Park.

Happy Canada Day.

Technology the talk of
the town in Terrace

THE Northwest Science and Innovation Society
(NSIS). held a.conference at the Best Western
in Terrace June 15 to promote innovation and
commercialization in rural B.C.

Keynote speaker Tod Maffin, a national broad-

_ caster, spoke about the future of the industry in a _

technological economy. |

Local innovators also gave presentations. Ben
Davidson, a computer technologist from Elec-
tronic Futures, gave tips on what to look for when
buying a computer.

Inventor Scott Walter, president of Scotech

Systems and owner of Northern Vacuum and

Sewing Center, spoke about the process of getting
his vacuum cleaner inventions out in the market.

NSIS is hoping to develop partnerships with .

area industries and schools and universities to
strengthen science and technology in northwest
communities.

teacher and members of the Terrace Beau-

tification Society last week to install new.

planters they made for the market entrance
off: Park Ave.°. _ DUSTIN.QUEZADA PHOTO

Farmer’ Ss Market gets.
- beautified

THE Terrace Beautification Society, staff and
students from Parkside Secondary School and

_ volunteer firefighters are making the Farmer’ s

Market a better ‘place to visit.

‘ Last week, the collaborators completed phase
one of three proposed projects.

The front of the market, just off Park Ave. re-
ceived a facelift in the shape of two square plant-
ers lined on each side with benches for marketgo-
ers. . :

The planters stand on a new square brick foun-
dation. surrounded by newly-laid grass.

The second and third phases would see more
garbage cans on the eastern side of the streetside
entrance, while the western side would also get
waste bins, planters and a refurbished sign.

Donations to help pay for further work can be
made to the beautification society at city hall or at
5236 Soucie Ave.

PARKSIDE Secondary students joined their |