Michael and Vera Ryan spearheaded an effort through St. Anne’s Catholic Parish to sponsor a refugee family to come to Osoyoos. Michael Ryan is a former Osoyoos town councillor. A Syrian refugee family in Lebanon has been identified and their group hopes the family will arrive early in 2016. (Richard McGuire file photo)
A hugely successful event to celebrate the contributions of Mexican migrant workers to the local economy, plans to bring Syrian refugees to Osoyoos and a local tourist attraction gaining national attention made headlines in September.
The bleachers at the Sonora Community Centre were full as Mexican workers and local residents munched on beef tacos and listened to mariachi music.
Hundreds of people turned out for Mexican Appreciation Day, organized by Jamie Elder of Unity Clothing and Boardsports and other local volunteers and sponsors. A long line of people snaked across the gym for food. In front of the stage children and a few adults danced. Across the front of the stage was draped a large Mexican flag surrounded by balloons in the red, white and green Mexican colours.
On the stage, wearing wide sombreros, members of Mariachi del Sol, which bills itself as Canada’s best mariachi band, played a mix of brass and string instruments, singing ballads in Spanish and English.
For Elder, the event exceeded expectations.
“It’s definitely a full house, which is amazing,” he said. “Maybe a little bit beyond a full house. I’m glad we didn’t put too many chairs out.”
Originally the event was to be held at Gyro Park, but when the forecast called for rain, it was moved to the Sonora Centre.
It was a wise decision, as a downpour outside made Sunday one of the wettest days of the year.
Elder said the idea for the event came during a discussion of the transient situation earlier this summer.
“The discussion turned to what an amazing group of people the Mexicans are that come to town every year and how we don’t have any problems from them at all,” said Elder. “It’s a shame that we don’t even recognize they are here. When you give respect, you get respect. This group definitely gives a lot of respect to this community and I thought it was time we did something to give some respect back to them.”
Elder said his own contact with the Mexican workers in the past has been limited to eye contact and smiles.
“I’ve never spoken a word to these people,” he said. “I don’t know a word of Spanish, to be truthful.”
Lorenzo Montoya, from Guadalajara, was one of the workers sitting in the bleachers with his compatriots.
This is his fourth year working in Osoyoos and prior to that he worked one season harvesting tomatoes in Leamington, Ont., where Heinz made ketchup until 2014.
Montoya’s English isn’t bad after this many seasons in Canada, but he’s more comfortable being interviewed in Spanish.
“The economic situation in my country is very difficult,” Montoya said. “We have the chance to come to Canada where the economy is better. There is work here and we can make good money. We put in a lot of hours, but we return with good money.”
“It’s difficult, because we are accustomed to being with the family,” said Montoya. “After a month or two, it’s like being single.”
His work season starts with picking cherries, and then as the season progresses, he moves to harvesting nectarines, peaches and finally apples. When the apple harvest is finished, he sometimes works in the orchards and sometimes in local packinghouses.
From start to finish, Montoya said he stays in Osoyoos for about four or five months.
“It’s a beautiful place,” he said. “It’s very productive for fruit. The people get along well with the Mexicans and we never have any problems with them. The police get along well with us. We get good respect from the Canadian people.”
Osoyoos residents got to see some familiar faces when the popular The Amazing Race Canada television program featured an episode shot entirely in the South Okanagan.
The Osoyoos Times learned several Osoyoos area attractions would be included in the episode that went to air on Sept. 9.
“On the next episode of The Amazing Race Canada, teams race to the beautiful Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, where a road block has some racers ramped in, leaving others in their wake,” said Jim Quan, a spokesperson for Bell Media.
“Teams search high and low for a mini Jon Montgomery figurine and a double U-turn has racers pushing their limits and each other’s buttons,” said Quan.
It was later revealed the episode featured extensive footage shot at the Osoyoos Desert Model Railroad, where thousands of tiny human figurines are placed in villages, ski hills, a mine, a red light district and even a nudist colony.
Sources said crews from the show were also seen at Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre near Osoyoos and Covert Farms near Oliver.
Quan said The Amazing Race Canada was CTV’s number one show last summer as it averaged 2.5 million viewers a week.
“It’s a big, big, big hit,” he said.
After the horrors faced by hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees were broadcast around the world, Michael and Vera Ryan decided to address the situation locally.
The couple obtained support from St. Anne’s Catholic Parish council and Father David DeSousa to try to bring a refugee family to Osoyoos.
Michael, a former Osoyoos town councillor, said he was struck by images of refugees flooding into European countries that were unable to handle them, while at the same time the federal government was doing nothing to address the situation in the short term.
“We said we just can’t sit here and not do anything,” said Michael. “We’re lucky because we have a big ocean on all sides of us. The European countries don’t have that choice. So we owe it to these people to do something for them.”
The couple organized a meeting at the Sonora Community Centre to seek support from other community groups and individuals with sponsorship of a family.
Close to $30,000 in funds were donated within several months.
The new Syrian family is expected to be living in Osoyoos early in the new year.
Sponsorship of a refugee family would be a bonding experience for the Osoyoos community, Vera said.
“I hope that people will have an opportunity to stretch a little bit and appreciate another culture and show their humanity,” she added.
“It gives people an outlet to actually do something,” said Michael. “I think everybody feels powerless when they see those pictures on the television. It seems so complicated. Maybe we’re only helping one family, but at least it’s one family that’s not standing up against the barbed wire and trying to cross into another country.”
A Syrian refugee family settled in Oliver just before the Christmas holidays.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
Crossing guard Debrah Saunders was stopping traffic in front of Osoyoos Elementary School on the first day of school after the summer holiday in early September. Using the crosswalk were Amanda McAllister, who was wheeling Isabelle in the stroller while Silas walked beside them. Amanda is the wife of Vice Principal Jason McAllister, who was in front of the school to welcome children back. (Richard McGuire file photo)
Mexican workers and local residents lined up for traditional tacos at Mexican Appreciation Day in August. (Richard McGuire file photo)
