Hoodoo Adventures - Fresh Air is the Best Medicine
Mike, Lyndie, and the dedicated team at Hoodoo Adventures care deeply about building stronger connections - to the outdoors and among their community. With innovative initiatives to get people outside and active, they remain a gateway to adventure and constant for their community through times of uncertainty.
“You can throw a pandemic at the community and it still comes down to connections and communication, being out there in nature, getting exercise. It sounds simple and is so often forgotten, but to us it’s the most important thing there is.”
Mike & Lyndie - Owners of Hoodoo Adventures
Mike, Lyndie, and each member of their dedicated team care deeply about building stronger connections - to the outdoors and among their community. Highlighting the best the Okanagan has to offer, Hoodoo Adventures provides authentic outdoor adventures, indoor/outdoor activities including a climbing gym, tours, and events.
This year has been a rollercoaster with many necessary changes and COVID-19 adjustments, but Hoodoo Adventures is still here and ready to come back stronger than ever. The passion and dedication Mike and Lyndie pour into their business is reflected back by an appreciative community of adventurers - within Penticton and beyond. The outdoors is more popular than ever, but bringing big groups of people together on tours or hosting large events is off the table for now. They have had to be creative, constantly re-adjust, and focus on opportunities to do things differently.
“Everything is being questioned and up in the air, but when you get down to the core of why we do this - it’s still there and authentic as ever. One of the reasons our business even exists is because Lyndie wanted to affect change in the youth of Penticton, let them see where they live and how amazing it is. We’re still doing that, at smaller numbers and in different ways - we’re a gateway to adventure.”
Knowing that cost may be a barrier, Mike and Lyndie brainstormed ideas of how to get locals more involved in outdoor activities without having to purchase gear or worry about maintaining it. On top of their already popular rental programs, Hoodoo Adventures has introduced a new Membership Deal, offering unlimited access to equipment and time slots at the climbing gym, as well as discounts to tours and courses - all at a very low monthly rate.
“Being outdoors during the pandemic, and all throughout the year, is essential for us. It brings us both balance and peace, and helps bring a sense of normalcy to our lives, especially during challenging times. The hardworking team at Hoodoo Adventures is always looking for unique and innovative ways to showcase fun and play outside while discovering all that the region has to offer. We recently took part in their Virtual Challenge, which had us discover four new-to-us hikes!”
During another innovative pandemic initiative, participants biked or hiked along routes equipped with maps provided by Hoodoo Adventures. The “Virtual Challenge” included checkpoints to take photos of and submit for a chance to win great prizes from local businesses. Many locals took the opportunity to get outside with their closest circle, substitute for kids’ canceled P.E. classes, and stay connected to the community from a distance.
““We do have an amazing community and live in this amazing place, we’re very lucky and we have to remind ourselves of that as well. It’s important to focus on your own mental health too, it’s so easy for the anxiety of all of this to take over. Luckily what we do helps people with that and provides that fresh air and connection to nature that is more important now than ever.””
Follow @HoodooAdventures on Instagram, find them on Facebook and learn more about rentals, memberships, the climbing gym & tours on HoodooAdventures.ca.
You may not be able to travel far from home this year - but it’s a great opportunity to explore our beautiful backyard. Get out there, whether it’s on a solo adventure or with those closest to you. Pretend you’re a tourist in the region you call home and be surprised by what a little change of perspective can do to renew your sense of adventure. 😊
About the Author
Lucie has been calling the Okanagan home since 2011, after moving overseas from a tiny town with a high cow population in southern Germany. She has a serious love for travel, music and languages - seeking to continuously grow and broaden her perspective. As a writer and Yoga teacher, Lucie hopes to inspire community, compassion, and a conscious way of living
The Paisley Notebook: Telling Stories With Food & Supporting Local Farmers
Aman Dosanj, the creative force behind The Paisley Notebook, is inspiring curiosity and change when it comes to food, community and inclusivity.
“Put simply: I tell stories with food.”
Aman Dosanj is inspiring curiosity and change in our relationship to food while building an inclusive community through unique stories and experiences. After moving to Canada from England in 2008, Aman owned and operated Poppadoms Restaurant in Kelowna, BC, together with her family. Now, she is revolutionizing the food industry with The Paisley Notebook, showcasing Canada's abundance and turning locals into tourists.
inspiring change
During her pop-up dinners, Aman creates "Edible Adventures" for guests with an ever-changing array of flavours and stories inspired by local, seasonal ingredients as much as the farmers who grow them. Her staff also happen to be her family - if you get the chance to attend one of her events, you'll likely find Aman's Mum helping out and brother Harry serving up delicious handcrafted Cocktails. Every dinner is different, beautifully imperfect and authentic to its intention. Though food is the unifying thread through her work, Aman's mission goes far beyond.
“The project has always been about building a bigger, more inclusive table, encouraging people to be open-minded, ask questions and get excited and curious about the place we live in. It also highlights great people who deserve the recognition, levelling up the playing field - I know how to spot an underdog. ”
Supporting local farmers
Locations for pop-up dinners are always changing and never fail to amaze. Honest Food Farm in Cawston, part of the "Sourced Dinner Series," is named after their nature - Organic fruits, vegetables and flowers grown in the heart of sunny Similkameen Valley by people who genuinely care to do what feels right over what's fast or easy. Brandie and Yuri work hard to provide only the highest quality, nourishing, and flavourful food to their families and communities. By sourcing from local farmers and taking guests behind the scenes on a farm tour, Aman opens local's eyes to the abundance of produce available right in our backyard.
Supporting local will increase the quality of food on your plate, but it also means supporting small family businesses who put great emphasis on promoting sustainability within our region and beyond.
Yuri & Brandie - Honest Food Farm
Cultivating Community - apart but together
Pre-Pandemic, The Paisley Notebook was hosting events on one long table, inspiring connections through a family dining experience. Aman has re-thought how to cultivate community at "six feet together," prioritizing guests' health and safety without compromising the essence and magic of the collective experience. Guests have been feeling safe and well taken care of, thanks to Aman's attention to detail and dedication to going above and beyond in everything she does.
“It has been a rollercoaster, but it’s all about redirecting your energy. The guests I cook for are the most amazing people, it’s truly a values-based group, and I’m so grateful to share these experiences with them. ”
To learn more about Aman's story, projects and passions visit the Paisley Notebook Website & Follow along on Instagram @PaisleyNotebook. (Pro tip: to be one of the first to know about upcoming events and for a chance to buy tickets before they sell out - sign up for The Paisley Notebook newsletter.)
Read more about how Aman and her business have adjusted to the changes brought on by COVID-19 on the Tourism Resiliency Network Website as part of the “Stories of Resilience” series.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lucie has been calling the Okanagan home since 2011, after moving overseas from a tiny town with a high cow population in southern Germany. She has a serious love for travel, music and languages - seeking to continuously grow and broaden her perspective. As a writer and Yoga teacher, Lucie hopes to inspire community, compassion, and a conscious way of living.