Lulu's news by LULU SWEET

NEVER FORGET: Rich-mond’s 12th Service Battalion Association will host one of the first local events this Sunday to mark next month’s Remembrance Day. Colonel Sherman Armoury (5500 No. 4 Rd.) will be the site of the association’s open house Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., where disaster response training will take place on the same day.

The theme of the event is “Canada Goes to War,” a phrase made famous Sept. 9, 1939, when Canada declared war on Germany. Veterans of both war and peacekeeping operations will be on hand, along with displays of new and old army vehicles.

Organizer Capt. (Ret.) Shirley Ridalls, said the point of the event is to make sure people don’t forget those who paid the ultimate price for the freedom of Canadians. “You always hear about people who don’t know anything about the Second World War or the Korean War. They know about the peacekeepers, but they don’t know much about (those wars).”

The public is invited to tour the 12th Service Battalion Military Museum. A number of organizations will be represented at the event.

EMCEE FOR A DAY: A crack was made to Richmond Fire Chief Jim Hancock on Tuesday to not quit his day job. The affable firefighter was emceeing the Business Excellence Awards and was a big hit. I hope he doesn’t quit his side gig, either.

He had some good lines, notably the reason why Richmond got the oval was because the other bidders’ plans were for a square track. He also introduced the red serge-attired constables standing on guard as Tony Mahon and Ward Clapham. But the biggest laughs of the night came during a video presentation on Great Canadian Casino, when Coun. Kiichi Kumagai appeared on screen working the tables.

A THEME TO DRAW ON: Richmond Chinese Community Society is holding a “Healthy Heart in my Hand” children’s drawing competition this Sunday at Richmond Cultural Centre.

The event is part of an international competition promoting heart health awareness. And if you need encouragement, there are plenty of prizes, including a trip to Hong Kong. For info, call 604-272-7222.

Getting the lay of the land

The Richmond Art Gallery is hosting an afternoon of presentations and discussion on topics of identity, place, immigration and globalization.

“Lay of the Land,” set for Saturday, Oct. 30 from 1 to 5 p.m., is a chance for University of B.C. artists and researchers to introduce their Richmond-based project and to gather interest in families who may want to contribute. The project, “The City of Rich Gate: Research and creation within community engaged arts practices,” focuses on issues of living between two cultures, in two geographical locations and identifies personal stories of movement and migration.

The researchers are seeking five intergenerational families from Richmond to help with the project. A workshop discussion with UBC professors Rita Irwin and Kit Grauer follows four presentations:

• “Canadian Immigration in Global Context,” with Daniel Hiebert, UBC department of geography;

• “The Feng and the Shui of Southwestern B.C.” with Jan Walls, director at the David Lam Centre for International Communication and Asia-Canada Program at Simon Fraser University;

• “Suburban Landscape and Consumer Choices,” with Ruth Beer, artist and associate professor and head of visual arts at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design;

• “Shifting Cultural Landscape,” Gu Xiong, artist and assistant professor at UBC’s department of fine arts.

The event takes place at Richmond Art Gallery (7700 Minoru Gate). Cost is $5. For more information call 604-231-6425.

Mavor Moore next up in Lulu Series

Mavor Moore will be the feature speaker in next Thursday’s Art in the City lecture.

Moore is an playwright, author, composer and director, and is a Companion of the Order of Canada.

In a lecture titled “The Great Crossover: Business/Arts.” Moore will look at the arts as the “cultural industries” that are one of the elements driving the new economy.

The lecture is part of the 2004 Lulu Series.

It takes place 7:00-9:30 p.m. at Richmond City Hall’s council chambers (6911 No. 3 Rd.). Seating is limited. Seats may be reserved by phone at 604 231-6433.

Cancer society sponsors healthy breakfast event

Those living with breast cancer, along with their friends and families, are invited to a special breakfast later this month at the Quilchena Golf and Country Club that will feature two local researchers in the field.

On Saturday, Oct. 30 from 8:30 a.m. to noon, locals will be treated to an event sponsored by the Richmond unit of the Canadian Cancer Society.

Tickets are available by calling 604-279-7150 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Kwantlen support staff take strike vote

About 450 unionized support workers at Kwantlen University College will be holding a strike vote after contract talks broke down late last week.

The union is seeking a seven per cent pay hike in a new four-year contract. Workers have had no raise in five of the last seven years and a 4.4 per cent increase in the other two years.

Kwantlen’s vote should be completed early next month.

Lulu's news by LULU SWEET

STUDENTS MAKE MUSIC: The B.C. Registered Music Teachers Association is holding first class honours student recitals on Sunday (Oct. 17). Recitals start at 1 p.m., followed by awards at 2:30 p.m. It takes place at Richmond Presbyterian Church (7111 No. 2 Rd.).

SO LONG SAFEWAY: Safeway’s Lansdowne Centre store is in its final week. The store closes its doors next Saturday.

JUSTICE AND DINNER IS SERVED: Justice Wally Oppal will be the special guest at a Sikh Alliance Against Youth Violence dinner next Friday. The dinner will raise awareness on the issue of violence and drug-related activity among youth in the Indo-Canadian community. It takes place at 6:30 p.m. at Riverside Palace. For information, call Nav Sanghera at 604-761-6853.

CENTURY MILESTONE: And a happy 100th birthday to Greta Neumetzler.

Richmond entrepreneur nominated for Inspiration 2004 Award

A Richmond firm’s meteoric rise in the audio visual display set up industry has earned its founder a nomination in this year’s Inspiration 2004 Awards.

Marcel Newell of Avidworx said his firm is well on the way to reaching its revenue goal of $1 million after just a year in business, and is being considered the first name in the interactive display fixture industry for electronic equipment.

The award is presented by B.C. Urban Entrepreneurial Develop-ment Association. It follows the progress of those who have graduated from employee to business owner with the financial assistance of Human Resources Development Canada, Employment Insurance, and have taken their business ideas and undergone a self employment program.

Newell said the self employment program he took at BCIT exposed him to the hard truths about surviving in the business world. And that has helped Avidworx surpass two major competitors in a short time.

Among the company’s clients is the River Rock Casino which used Avidworx to fit out its video monitoring control room that provides security personnel with sweeping views of the facility’s gaming tables and machines.

Business Excellence Awards to be handed out Tuesday

The finalists for the 27th annual Business Excellence Awards will be announced on Tuesday.

The nominees are:

Excellence in Business–Master Category: Aberdeen Centre, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, Helijet International Inc.

Excellence in Business–Enterprise Category: Davis Technical Resource Ltd., Prima Electronics Inc., Target Event Productions Ltd.

Entrepreneur–Established: Absolute Spa Group, Tri-Star Seafood Supply Ltd., Viva Pharmaceutical Inc.

Entrepreneur–Emerging: Cartwheels Inc., Harmony Airways, Pacific Coast Wasabi.

Business Ethics: Coast Capital Savings, Novex Couriers, Richmond Centre.

Community Champion: CHIMO Crisis Service, Linda Reid, Touchstone Family Association.

Distinguished Business Leader: Thomas Fung, The Fairchild Group; Lorraine Palmer, Conway Richmond Ltd.; Chuck Van der Lee, Rogers Video.

There will also be winners announced for Newsmaker of the Year, Award of Merit and Chamber Leader.

The awards are presented by the City of Richmond and the Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

The annual awards gala takes place at the Vancouver Airport Conference Resort (10251 St. Edwards Dr.).

Roofers spark costly fire

A spectacular Tuesday night fire that saw flames leap 15 feet in the air is believed to have been sparked by roofers working at a business complex near No. 5 and River roads.

The fire was first seen by a witness shortly before 7 p.m., according to Richmond Fire-Rescue’s Jocelyn Roberts.

Initial damage estimates were in the neighbourhood of $55,000, but Roberts suspects that damage total could increase.

Although the fire was limited to the roof, there was water damage to the businesses below, including an autobody shop.

There were no injuries.

Roberts said it appears the fire was started by a torch used on the rooftop.

There were four businesses impacted by the fire, each of whom suffered “slight damage.”