Host: WORTH Association, sponsored by TOTA

WORTH's Empower Her event aims to connect a community of leaders who will expand their network and create meaningful relationships. The Okanagan's top female tourism and hospitality leaders will share inspiring ideas with the intention of sparking dialogue about issues that impact women in the workplace. Their perspectives will inform, inspire, and empower women as we collectively identify ways to accelerate women to senior roles in the industry.

Hosted By: Ellen Walker-Matthews, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA)

Panellists:

• Lisanne Ballantyne, CEO, Tourism Kelowna

• Christina Ferreira, Owner, Impact Events

• Sandy Leier, Winemaker Laughing Stock Vineyards

• Shelley Robinson, Director of Food And Beverage - General Manager, Big White Ski Resort

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Tasting the Okanagan Through the Ages is an event created through the South Okanagan Food & Drink Experience Development Program which occurred between September 2021 - January 2022 in partnership with TOTA, Destination BC, and the Culinary Tourism Alliance.

Join Chef Aman Dosanj of the Paisley Notebook pop-up series for an immersive dining experience on Covert Farm's 650-acre, fourth-generation farm. The event will guide guests through a multi-course food and wine paired sensory journey of our bountiful region.

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Partner: Tourism Industry Association of BC (Special Offer – Save $100 with promo code TIABC40)

The Art of Leadership for Women one-day conference focuses on the topics and trends most critical to leaders, featuring a riveting collection of world leaders, business icons, academics, and bestselling authors who inspire action.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn improved ways of leveraging their value, elevating their skills, and developing the strategies required to take their leadership and their organizations to the next level. This conference is not just for women, but for anyone who wants to champion change on behalf of women.

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Host: University of British Columbia & Ambassade de France au Canada

A roundtable focused on sharing and learning from experiences around the world to better understand how we can work together and address these critical issues.

In all wine-producing regions of the world, the effects of global warming on the vine are visible and the resulting aromatic characteristics of the grapes and wine are changing. The effects of climate change on vine growth are multiple: late frosts, rainy summers or periods of intense drought, destruction by forest fires and the impact of smoke on the grape bunch, water stress, etc.

To counterbalance these changes, the solutions are diverse, and range from the modification of cultivation practices to the use of genetics or the chemical transformation of wines. This transition to new practices must be accompanied by a dialogue between the various stakeholders involved in the sector: scientists, wine growers, citizens, associations, and public authorities. T

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Host: Tourism Kelowna

Tourism Kelowna's Industry Forum is on Wednesday, May 11, in person at the Coast Capri Hotel.

Join the event for a full day of connection and learning. In the morning, hear updates from Tourism Kelowna's team followed by a panel discussion on workplace culture and staff retention. The afternoon will kick off with a panel presentation about social media and photography. From there, Tourism Kelowna's Annual General Meeting will take place followed by a networking reception, where industry and community members can reconnect in person.

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Host: BC Hospitality Foundation, sponsored by TOTA

The BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) is hosting the inaugural Okanagan Golf Tournament at The Harvest Golf Club in Kelowna to kick off the golf season on May 10, 2022, followed by legacy tournaments in Vancouver and Victoria this summer.

Annual golf tournaments are important fundraising events for BC Hospitality Foundation. Funds raised help hospitality workers across BC each year that are in a financial crisis due to a medical condition.

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Host: Adventure Development & Relief Agency (ADRA)

To raise funds for to support people in Ukraine, ADRA is hosting the Sunflower Fundraising Festival on May 1 at Heritage Hills Community Park, 176 Chadwell Place in Okanagan Falls. The festival will feature local Okanagan musicians like Joshua Smith with his soul folk music, and Will Shlackl with his wide-ranging solo acoustic performances covering songs from Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Guns and Roses, and much more.

There will be a silent auction and wine raffle, thanks to generous donations from local businesses. Local food trucks and artisans will be in attendance as well.

Attendance is free, but any donations will go to registered charity ARDA Ukraine and its "1,000 Rides Out" campaign funding round-trips in and out of Ukraine with humanitarian supplies going in, and refugees coming out.

Get Involved

To donate a silent auction item or get involved, email oliveokanagan@gmail.com or call Jennifer at 403-690-7491.

Earth Day was first celebrated in the United States on April 22, 1970. Over the years, Earth Day in Canada has grown beyond a major day of environmental action, celebrated in many countries around the world. It also inspired organizations, such as Earth Day Canada, a charitable organization that inspires and supports citizens and organizations across the country to reduce their impact on the environment.

This year, Earth Day Canada’s campaign is focused on eco-anxiety, the mental health impacts of climate change. The most effective way to fight this issue is through collective action. Companies are invited to host events that bring people together to #RemedyTogether.

Earth Day Canada will offer a virtual workshop on April 22 to educate about the mental health issue, its effects, and the ways that taking collective action can help.

TOTA and Wine for the Planet hosted a Canadian Press Event to officially launch participation in the conference on April 20, 2022. The recording of the presentation is now available.

Learn how climate change is impacting wineries and how wineries can adapt and mitigate the issues.

Host: Okanagan College

The Okanagan School of Business and Student, Graduate, and Co-op Employment Centre is hosting the 14th Annual Business Expo and Employment Fair. The purpose of this event is to connect skilled students, both graduating this year and those continuing with studies, with the business community in hopes of assisting in filling some of the job vacancies locally and nationally.

Exhibitor booths are sold out this year but if you’re interested in future Okanagan College job fairs, contact JMorrow@okanagan.bc.ca.

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International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality.

Marked annually on March 8th, International Women's Day (IWD) is one of the most important days of the year to:

• celebrate women's achievements

• raise awareness about women's equality

• lobby for accelerated gender parity

• fundraise for female-focused charities

The campaign theme for International Women's Day 2022 is #BreakTheBias. Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias exists isn't enough. Action is needed to level the playing field.

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